The importance of pre-pregnancy counselling

What is pre-pregnancy counseling?

A preconception consultation is a visit to your primary health care provider, who may be your obstetrician or family medicine physician, during the pregnancy planning period. Pregnancy health begins before you get a positive pregnancy test result. Consulting a doctor reduces the possibility of pregnancy complications or exposure to many health problems that may affect the health of the mother or the fetus. Reproductive health experts advise that this visit should be made at least three months before trying to conceive.

The importance of pre-pregnancy counselling

• Conceiving and getting pregnant without any problems by getting advice on fertility, ovulation, reproductive health, and sexual health.
• Maintaining the health and safety of the mother and fetus as much as possible during pregnancy.
• Reducing the possibility of pregnancy complications.
• Conducting tests to ensure that there are no infections or sexually transmitted diseases.

What will happen during this consultation?

1| Risk Assessment

Your doctor will ask about your and your family's medical and health history and information about your husband and his family to determine if any risk factors could cause health problems for you or your baby during pregnancy.

Your primary health provider will conduct comprehensive tests to find out whether you or your husband have any health problems or chronic diseases that may affect your chances of conceiving or may cause pregnancy complications later. Your doctor will also ask for information about your lifestyle and your husband's lifestyle to find out if you are smokers due to the negative impact of smoking on fertility and pregnancy as well.

2| Providing advice

Your family doctor or gynecologist will advise you about fertility, ovulation and general health and will tell you if you need to stop some of the medications you are taking so that they do not affect pregnancy and the health of the mother and the fetus. If you see a family doctor, she may refer you to a gynecologist to follow up with her on the pregnancy process.

3| Immunity assessment

Your doctor will also check your vaccination history to ensure you and your partner are up to date on the vaccines that protect you from infectious diseases and to avoid getting you or your baby infected while trying to conceive or during pregnancy. Don't be surprised if your doctor asks you to get the measles vaccine if tests show that you are not immune to this infection; this is to protect you and your unborn baby.

4| Determine the date of ovulation

With information about your menstrual cycle and pelvic ultrasound, your doctor may be able to give you an approximate date for when you will ovulate so you can focus on having sex during that time to get pregnant. It may also tell you about the symptoms and signs of ovulation to make tracking your fertility easier in the following months.

5| Providing overall counseling

Whether you are ready to become a mother or not, you need advice. Talk to your doctor honestly, tell her about your concerns, and ask all the questions that worry you. Ask her for guidance and advice about preparing yourself mentally and physically for pregnancy and ensuring your weight and health are suitable.

Next Steps

• If you are overweight, your doctor will ask you to lose weight before pregnancy because obesity may delay pregnancy and may increase the likelihood of pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension.
• Suppose you are taking medications daily, and it turns out that these medications affect fertility and pregnancy. In that case, your doctor may ask you to stop taking them for a few months before and during pregnancy. In the meantime, he may prescribe alternative treatments that do not affect pregnancy or fertility.
• Take the vitamins and supplements prescribed by your doctor that will prepare your body for pregnancy.
• Stop smoking of all kinds.
• Follow a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and eat healthy food even if you are not overweight.
• Get vaccinations if you and your partner need them.
• Consult doctors if you have any health problems that need attention before pregnancy, such as diabetes, thyroid problems, autoimmune diseases, and others.
• If necessary, get marital and family counseling so that you and your husband are better prepared for the next stage.

To sum up,

If you are planning to get pregnant, it is essential to get a pre-pregnancy consultation. Don't be shy and consider it a regular visit to the doctor's clinic that you trust. It is a necessary consultation to protect your reproductive health and protect your future pregnancy and your fetus from any complications and problems that can be avoided.