What is preconception care?

Preconception care is an opportunity for you and your partner to improve your health before you start trying for a baby. A healthcare professional can help you to assess your health, fitness and lifestyle, to identify areas that you may want to improve.

Preconception care may be useful if you want to find out how a condition such as diabetes or epilepsy can affect pregnancy, or if you are having trouble conceiving. It can also help if you just want to give your baby a good start.

Allow plenty of time for preconception planning and care before you start to try for a baby. Your egg and your partner's sperm will become mature about 100 days before you conceive.

If you want advice about preconception care before you try for a baby, your GP or midwife should be able to give you more information. Preconception care is also provided by some practice nurses, health visitors, family planning clinics and well-woman clinics.

I've recently taken up running but it has brought on shin splints. Should I stop running - am really enjoying it.

You should stop the activity that caused shin splints for at least two weeks. After this time, the pain in your shins should begin to subside and you should be able to gradually resume the activity.

While you are resting your legs, you can continue to do low impact activities, such as cross-training, cycling or swimming. Pool running is also a good way of maintaining cardiovascular fitness.

Pain and swelling can be relieved by holding an ice pack against your shins (a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel works well). Do this for 10 minutes every two to three hours for the first two days.

You can also use over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, to help relieve the pain and inflammation. Stretching your calf muscles and the front of your leg can also help.

It is important your running shoes give you the right amount of cushioning and support for your weight and foot type. If your foot rolls inwards, you may need to have orthotics (rigid shoe inserts) fitted.

Go to a specialist running shop if you are buying running shoes for the first time. A trained member of staff will be able to carry out a number of tests, including a gait analysis, and advise which shoes are best for you.

If you continue having problems with your shoes, a podiatrist can give a more expert opinion and look at your overall lower limb biomechanics.

What is iron deficiency anaemia?

Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when there is a reduced number of red blood cells because the body does not have enough iron to produce them. The main symptoms are tiredness and lethargy and a general lack of energy.

Iron is found in meat, dried fruit and some vegetables. It is used by the body to make haemoglobin, which helps store and carry oxygen in red blood cells.

Haemoglobin transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. If there is a lack of iron in the blood, the organs and tissues will not get as much oxygen as they usually do.

Iron deficiency anaemia affects up to 1 in 20 men and 1 in 20 post-menopausal women.

Iron deficiency anaemia may be more common in women who are still menstruating (having periods). This is because menstruation and pregnancy can cause iron deficiency.

Treatment for iron deficiency anaemia involves taking iron supplements to replace the missing iron in the body. This is usually very effective and the condition rarely causes any serious complications.

If you have iron deficiency anaemia, you will need to be monitored every few months to check that the treatment is working and that your iron levels have returned to normal.

In some cases, further tests may be necessary to determine the underlying cause of your iron deficiency anaemia.