2.1 UP TO THE BIRTH 31 What percentage of babies in the world are born healthy? A regular semen analysis should show sperm concentration of at least 15 million sperm per millimetre of semen, with at least 30% motility and 4% normal morphology. ONLINE RESOURCES Genetic counselling PRECONCEPTION To increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and lower risks, couples should start thinking about getting ready at least three months before. Prenatal healthcare, in fact, is extremely important both for babies and their mothers. Risks The most common risks that can threaten a baby s as well as a mother s health are: ectopic pregnancy; miscarriage; high blood pressure; diabetes; serious and/or genetic diseases; obesity; depression. cured meat: insaccati ectopic: extrauterina miscarriage: aborto spontaneo patency: perviet How to get ready For the woman For the man Eat the same quantity and good quality food. Maintain a healthy weight and eat well. Be aware that oranges and pomegranates have a great amount of antioxidants and vitamin C, which can improve sperm mobility and overall quality of sperm. Reduce exposure to toxic substances. Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Wash vegetables and fruit carefully and avoid cured meat. Use gloves when doing gardening and wash hands with care. Take a daily vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and about 5,000 units of vitamin from at least two months before conception. Be physically active: do sports, walk, dance, or swim. Don t drink alcohol and don t smoke. In case of difficulty in conception After a year of unprotected regular sexual intercourse, if conception does not occur, it may be useful to proceed with some medical analyses. Exams for female fertility: HyCoSy is used to assess the patency of the fallopian tubes, blocked fallopian tubes being a common cause of infertility, while AMH is an ovarian reserve test to examine the number of healthy eggs. Exams for male fertility: sperm mobility and semen analysis , hormone evaluation, search for antisperm antibodies, and urological visit. 74 BABIES AND CHILDREN