Preconception Prep for Moms
Ready to board that cute little pas senger on the mother ship? Here are some preconception steps you can take to make sure that ship is in shape.
Get a preconception checkup.
You don't have to choose a prenatal practitioner yet but it would be a good idea to see your regular gynecologist for a thorough physical examination. An exam will pick up any medical problems that need to be corrected beforehand or that will need to be monitored during pregnancy. Plus, your doctor will be able to steer you away from medications that are to be avoided in pregnancy (or preconception), make sure your immunizations are up to date, and talk to you about your weight, your diet, your drinking and other lifestyle habits, and similar preconception issues.
Start looking for a prenatal practitioner.
It's easier to start looking for an obstetrician or midwife now, when the pregnancy meter's not already running, than when that first prenatal checkup is hanging over your head. If you're going to stick with your regular ob-gyn, then you've got a head start. Otherwise, ask around, scout around, and take your time in picking the practitioner who's right for you. Then schedule an interview and a pre-pregnancy examination.
Smile for the dentist.
A visit to the dentist before you get pregnant is almost as important as a visit to the doctor. That's because your future pregnancy can affect your mouth—and your mouth can possibly affect your future pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones can actually aggravate gum and tooth problems, making a mess of a mouth that's not well taken care of to begin with. What's more, research shows that gum disease may be associated with some pregnancy complications. So before you get busy making a baby, get busy getting your mouth into shape. Be sure, too, to have any necessary work, including X-rays, fillings, and dental surgery, completed now so that it won't have to be done during pregnancy.
Check your family tree.
Get the health history on both sides of the family tree (yours and your spouse's). It's especially important to find out if there's a history of any medical issues and genetic or chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, or fragile X syndrome.
Take a look at your pregnancy history.
If you've had a previous pregnancy with any complications or one that ended with a premature delivery or late pregnancy loss, or if you've had multiple miscarriages, talk to your practitioner about any measures that can be taken to head off a repeat.
Seek genetic screening, if necessary.
Also ask your practitioner about being tested for any genetic disease common to your ethnic background: cystic fibrosis if either of you is Caucasian; Tay-Sachs disease if either of you is of Jewish-European (Ashkenazi), French Canadian, or Louisiana Cajun descent; sickle cell trait if you are of African descent; one of the thalassemias if you are of Greek, Italian, Southeast Asian, or Filipino origin.
Previous obstetrical difficulties (such as two or more miscarriages, a stillbirth, a long period of infertility, or a child with a birth defect) or being married to a cousin or other blood relative are also reasons to seek genetic counseling.
