Preconception and Prenatal Check-ups

Your Pre-Pregnancy Check Up: 
Steps to Ensure a Safe Pregnancy & Healthy Fetal Development

Considering having a baby in the not-too-distant future? Already trying to conceive? Then now's the time to starting thinking about pregnancy wellness - and the health of your baby! Healthy babies start before they are conceived, so taking some basic steps now is not only a sound idea, it's a trying-to-conceive imperative!

Yes, quiting smoking and drinking is, of course, the first thing to do. However, changing your diet, exercise, and tyring to get to the proper weight are also cornerstones of pregnancy health - as is taking a prenatal vitamin. Most Ob/Gyns will recommend a good prenatal [1], one with a solid spectrum of essential ingredients and folic acid. If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are taking prescription drugs, you'll need to talk to your doctor regarding any health issue and to ensure that your prescription drug is safe to take while trying-to-conceive or during pregnancy. Even if you are just taking herbal supplements or general wellness or health purposes, you should clear it with doctor if the particular supplements are pregnancy-friendly. Some herbal ingredients should not be taken during pregnancy. All of these questions can be answered during a "Pre-Pregnancy Checkup" with your doctor.

A healthy diet and proper weight is also central to both fertility and pregnancy health. Being overweight - or underweight - can cause hormonal imbalances that may impact menstrual cycle regularity or interrupt ovulation. Ovulating "on schedule" will certainly help your odds of acheiving pregnancy. As a rule of thumb, time to cut-out the junk food and switch to healthier faire - vegetables, fresh fruit - you know the routine... Besides a prenatal vitamin, consider sources of Omega-3 vitamins [2], like fish. Make sure the fish you select for a TTC or Pregnancy diet is low in mercury. Some fish, like swordfish and some species of tuna, may have higher amounts of mercury than other fish. By all means, stay away from uncooked meat and fish. You can also consider using Omega-3 supplements (check the bottle make sure that your Omega-3 is mercury/contaminant-free).

Consider a product like Prenatal Omega-3 [2]. Omega-3s are nutrients that support both the mother's wellness and promote healthy fetal development. For fetal health, Omega-3 fatty acids are key in developing infant cardiac and circulatory systems, as well as the central nervous system. Omega-3s have also been shown to promote the healthy development of the brain and eyes. For mother's with high Omega 3 intake, research has shown that their babies typical display higher attention spans and advanced brain development.

A Trying-to-Conceive Exam with Your Doctor

A pre-pregnancy check up is always highly advised. As suggested above, discussing personal and family medical history, pre-existing medical issues, prescription drugs use, over-the-counter remedies, and herbal supplements is all very important. Find out if there are any health, diet, or family-medical history issues to consider before you even start trying to have a baby. A history of vaccinations will also be discussed. If you need a vaccination, your doctor may ask you to wait a number of months before actively trying to achieve pregnancy.

Also, prepare notes on your menstrual cycle history and ask your doctor about fertility charting (using a basal thermometer, etc) to determine when you ovulate, the time of month when your fertility is highest. If you've recently discontinuued contraception (e.g., use of the pill), talk to your doctor about how this may affect cycle balance. You may need to wait a few months for your menstrual cycle to get back to "normal".

If you have had children in the past and your are trying for number two, three, or more, make sure you discuss any difficulties or complications associated with past pregnancies. These include issues like PCOS (polycistic ovarian syndrome), cycle irregularity, premature delivery, miscarriage, or ectopic pregnancy. Age is also a factor, and if you are in your mid-30s or older, its important to take age into account. It may be that conceiving an earlier child took no time at all. Being a little more "mature" may contribute to a bit of delay in conceiving, but is by no means an insurmountable obstacle! Again, a doctor is an excellent resource for conceiving a baby after age 35.

A doctor can also examine and run tests to ensure you have the "green light" for conception and pregnancy. Infections or illness, as well as considerations of familiy medical history, are variables to look at in determining both pregnancy health and risk. Basic testing and blood draws can check for diseases that can cause pregnancy complications or increase pregnancy-fetal risk. Depending on family history or past pregnancy issues, genetic testing may also be advised to decrease pregnancy risks.

Once you become pregnant, your doctor can schedule you for routine visits on the path to motherhood. A very nice tool for both predicting ovulation - and taking you through nine months of pregnancy - is the 9-Months Ovulation and Pregnancy Wheel [3].

Signs Your Are Pregnant [4] Top 10 Pregnancy Symptoms
Learning About Fertility Supplments [5] Interview with a Fertility Expert
Preconception [6]
When Can I Test For Pregnancy? [7]