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Preparing For Your Pregnancy

The best time to prepare for your pregnancy is when you’re planning your pregnancy.

By the time of your first prenatal visit, your baby’s vital organs have already begun forming. A pre-pregnancy visit with your doctor is an important step in getting ready for your pregnancy. To arrange a pre-pregnancy visit, please talk with your doctor.

A pre-pregnancy visit is used to discuss:

• your health and determine if you have any existing conditions or risk factors that may influence your pregnancy
• how best to prepare your body for your pregnancy
• medications, dietary supplements and vitamins
• maternal conditions, such as diabetes, epilepsy, or high blood pressure
• your family history and your pregnancy history
• vaccinations or exposure to diseases
• your weight and lifestyle

Medications, dietary supplements and vitamins

Certain medications are safe in pregnancy, others are not. Be sure to review all of your medications, dietary supplements and vitamins with your doctor.

Prenatal vitamins are also an important component in preparing for your pregnancy. For example, folic acid reduces the risk of open neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Pre-conception is actually the most important time to take prenatal vitamins. Please ask your doctor which prenatal vitamins are best for you.

Maternal conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, or high blood pressure

It’s important to balance your health with the health of your developing baby. If you have an existing medical condition, your pregnancy requires extra care.

Your doctor may want to:

• evaluate the medications that you’re taking to manage your condition because some medications may be better than others in pregnancy
• refer you to a genetic counselor because some maternal conditions may increase the chances of certain birth defects.

Family history and pregnancy history

If you’re concerned about a family history of a disease such as cystic fibrosis, or a condition such as mental retardation, or physical birth defects such as a heart defect or cleft lip, your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor.

Genetic counselors are health care professionals who can help you understand your genetic risks and testing options. Testing options may include carrier testing to determine if you’re at risk of having a baby with a specific genetic disease.

If you’ve had a history of miscarriage, stillbirth or any other pregnancy complication, your doctor may have suggestions for your next pregnancy.

Vaccinations or exposure to diseases

Diseases, such as measles or chicken pox, can be harmful to your developing baby. Please talk to your doctor to see if you’re immune to these diseases or if you need a vaccination.

Weight and lifestyle

Your weight can influence both your fertility and the potential for complications during your pregnancy. Please talk with your doctor to determine if you’re at a healthy weight to consider pregnancy.

If you’re drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or using recreational drugs, pre-pregnancy is the time to stop. These activities increase the rate of birth defects, prematurity, and low birth weight. If you need help stopping, your doctor may have resources to help you.