Skip to main content

Preconception planning: Is your body ready for pregnancy?

Preconception planning can help you and your partner understand how to boost your chances of a healthy pregnancy. Here's what to expect during a preconception appointment.
If you've decided to get pregnant, you might be emotionally prepared to have a baby — but is your body ready?
To help ensure a healthy pregnancy, schedule a preconception appointment with your health care provider as soon as you begin thinking about pregnancy. A preconception appointment is especially important if you're in your 30s or 40s or you have any chronic health conditions or special concerns. Consider these preconception planning questions.

What type of birth control have you been using?

If you've been taking combination birth control pills — whether conventional or extended cycle — your period is expected to return within 30 days after stopping the pill. You don't need to take a pill-free break before trying to conceive.
However, it'll be somewhat easier to estimate when you ovulated and when your baby is due if you have at least one normal period before conceiving. If you plan to wait a few months, use condoms while your menstrual cycle gets back to normal.
If you've been using certain types of long-term birth control, such as progestin injections, your return to fertility might take somewhat longer. Still, 50 percent of women who discontinue progestin injections to become pregnant conceive within 10 months after the last shot.

Are your vaccines current?

Infections such as chickenpox (varicella) and German measles (rubella) can be dangerous for an unborn baby. If your immunizations aren't complete or you're not sure if you're immune to certain infections, your preconception care might include blood tests to check for immunity or one or more vaccines — preferably at least one month before you try to conceive.

Do you have any chronic medical conditions?

If you are obese or have a chronic medical condition — such as diabetes, asthma or high blood pressure — make sure it's under control before you conceive. In some cases, your health care provider might recommend adjusting your medication or other treatments before pregnancy. Your health care provider also will explain any special care you might need during pregnancy.

Are you taking any medications or supplements?

Tell your health care provider about any medications, herbs or supplements you're taking. Depending on the product, your health care provider might recommend changing doses, switching to something else or stopping the product before you conceive.
This is also the time to start taking prenatal vitamins. The baby's neural tube — which becomes the brain and spinal cord — develops during the first month of pregnancy, possibly before you even know that you're pregnant. Taking prenatal vitamins before conception helps prevent neural tube defects.

Are you at risk of a sexually transmitted infection?

Sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia can interfere with your ability to conceive. These infections also pose risks to both mother and baby during pregnancy. If you're at risk of a sexually transmitted infection — or you think you or your partner might have an infection — ask your health care provider about preconception screening and treatment.

Do you have a family history of any specific medical conditions?

Sometimes family medical history — either yours or your partner's — increases the risk of having a child who has certain medical conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, or birth defects. If genetic conditions are a concern, your health care provider might refer you to a genetic counselor for a preconception assessment.

How old are you and your partner?

As maternal age increases, the risk of fertility problems, pregnancy loss and certain chromosomal conditions increases. Some pregnancy-related complications, such as gestational diabetes, also are more common in older mothers. The age of the baby's father can play a role, too. Your health care provider can help you put any risks into perspective, as well as develop a plan to give your baby the best start.

Have you been pregnant before?

Your health care provider will ask about previous pregnancies. Be sure to mention any complications you might have had, such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, preterm labor, premature birth or birth defects, or pregnancies that required a C-section.
If you had a previous pregnancy involving a neural tube defect, your health care provider will likely recommend a higher daily dose of folic acid than what's found in most prenatal vitamins.
If you have any concerns or fears about another pregnancy, share them with your health care provider. He or she will help you understand the best ways to boost your chances of a healthy pregnancy.

Does your current lifestyle support a healthy pregnancy?

Healthy lifestyle choices during pregnancy are essential. For example:
  • Your health care provider will discuss the importance of a healthy diet, regular physical activity and managing stress.
  • If you're underweight or overweight, your health care provider might recommend addressing your weight before you conceive.
  • It's also important to avoid alcohol, illegal drugs and exposure to toxic substances.
  • If you smoke, ask your health care provider about resources to help you quit.
If possible, ask your partner to attend the preconception visit with you. Your partner's health and lifestyle are important because they can affect both you and the baby.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Abscess, Bartholin's (See: Bartholin's cyst)

Overview Bartholin's cyst The Bartholin's (BAHR-toe-linz) glands are located on each side of the vaginal opening. These glands secrete fluid that helps lubricate the vagina. Sometimes the openings of these glands become obstructed, causing fluid to back up into the gland. The result is relatively painless swelling called a Bartholin's cyst. If the fluid within the cyst becomes infected, you may develop a collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue (abscess). A Bartholin's cyst or abscess is common. Treatment of a Bartholin's cyst depends on the size of the cyst, how painful the cyst is and whether the cyst is infected. Sometimes home treatment is all you need. In other cases, surgical drainage of the Bartholin's cyst is necessary. If an infection occurs, antibiotics may be helpful to treat the infected Bartholin's cyst. Symptoms If you have a small, noninfected Bartholin's cyst, you may not notice it. If the cyst grow
2 comments
Read more

Absence seizure

Overview Absence seizures involve brief, sudden lapses of consciousness. They're more common in children than in adults. Someone having an absence seizure may look like he or she is staring blankly into space for a few seconds. Then, there is a quick return to a normal level of alertness. This type of seizure usually doesn't lead to physical injury. Absence seizures usually can be controlled with anti-seizure medications. Some children who have them also develop other seizures. Many children outgrow absence seizures in their teens. Symptoms An indication of simple absence seizure is a vacant stare, which may be mistaken for a lapse in attention that lasts about 10 seconds, though it may last as long as 20 seconds, without any confusion, headache or drowsiness afterward. Signs and symptoms of absence seizures include: Sudden stop in motion without falling Lip smacking Eyelid flutters Chewing motions Finger rubbing Small movements of both hands Afterwa
1 comment
Read more

How to Develop a Stress Reduction Plan That Works

While the body’s physiological stress response—the fight or flight response—is virtually universal, the way that stress impacts us is as unique to each individual as the events that cause us stress in the first place. Simply put, we all respond to stressful events in our own way, and our responses to stress affect us in ways that are unique as well. Why is this? Stress Triggers We’re all affected differently by life’s events. While extreme events like a physical attack by a violent stranger or the diagnosis of a serious illness produce a strong stress response in virtually everyone, many everyday events on the job or at home will be experienced as stressful by some and exciting, challenging, or even exhilarating by others. What accounts for these differences? Past Experience:  We all carry "baggage," and that affects our current thought patterns and how we conceptualize what’s going on today. These thought patterns impact whether we see something
1 comment
Read more