It is important that both parents are healthy prior to becoming pregnant.

This is the key message in a new animation which promotes preconception health and care.

Ashley Goodfellow, public health specialist, said: “Preconception health is the mental and physical health of men and women during their reproductive years.

“Both men and women need to focus on their health, wellbeing and nutrition before pregnancy as it is absolutely crucial to the health of the baby.

“What many people don’t realise is that it is just as important for the male to be healthy too. Things such as alcohol, smoking and obesity all affect male fertility. Also if a male is healthy it supports his partner to be healthy too.”

The animation was created with a group of young people who also provided the voiceovers. It contributes to Lanarkshire’s preconception health and care action plan and is targeted at both young men and women, to enable them to plan for pregnancy.  

Lucy Nicholls (17) said: “Before I worked on the animation I had no idea what preconception care was. I learned that men and women can benefit from good preconception health, whether they plan to have a baby now or in the future.

“With almost half of pregnancies being unplanned, someone might not know they are pregnant in the first few weeks and this is a critical time in development. They could be putting their baby at harm by drinking alcohol or taking certain prescription medicines and they don’t know it.”