Preparing your body for pregnancy sets the stage for a healthy pregnancy journey ahead. Taking steps to optimise your preconception health can make an important difference.
Staying healthy before and during pregnancy can improve your chances of falling pregnant, decrease complications in pregnancy, and maximise your chances of having a healthy baby. The best place to start is to see your GP or fertility specialist three months before you start trying for a pregnancy.
Preconception care can be undertaken with Dr Huang or with your usual GP, if they are comfortable with providing this aspect of care. During this consultation, your general health is reviewed, including your:
This comprehensive health assessment also allows your doctor to identify any risk factors that could affect your next pregnancy, update your vaccinations, and develop a personalised care plan.
Preconception care is also important for men as they contribute half the chromosomes that will go on to form your baby. Preconception care for men focuses on improving sperm health to increase the chance of conception and having a healthy baby. A healthy diet, supported by supplements where appropriate, regular exercise, and maintabaining a healthy body weight are recommended for all men as they start trying to conceive.
The key components of a preconception health care plan for women are aimed at improving your natural fertility and preparing your body for pregnancy, minimising risks to yourself and your developing baby.
Certain systemic illnesses can impact your ability to fall pregnant as well as increase the risk of pregnancy complications. Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and thyroid disorders should be well-controlled before you start trying to conceive, to avoid affecting your pregnancy outcome. Dr Huang may liaise with your usual treating doctor (e.g. cardiologist or endocrinologist) to optimise your management of these conditions and reduce their impact on your fertility.
If you do not already have a balanced diet, you may benefit from taking prenatal vitamins, which can be purchased from the pharmacy or local supermarket without a prescription.
One of the most important vitamins in the prenatal stage is folic acid. Adequate folic acid intake reduces the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. You should start taking a minimum of 400 micrograms/day of folic acid at least three months before trying to conceive. In certain high-risk women, such as those with a family history of neural tube defects, the recommendation is high-dose folic acid supplementation at 5mg/day. Folic acid may be taken on its own in tablet form or combined with other prenatal multivitamins, and does not need a script to obtain.
Vitamin D is another important nutrient for conception. In addition to supporting good bone health, vitamin D is thought to play a role in the quality of the eggs as well as many other important functions in the body. Many women are unknowingly deficient in vitamin D, but a blood test can identify whether supplements may be beneficial for you. Vitamin D supplements can be purchased without a script.
As part of preparing for pregnancy, Dr Huang recommends a number of pre-pregnancy screening tests, usually including blood tests and a urine test. These tests can help assess your general health before conception, screen for infectious diseases that may affect pregnancy, identify whether you may be a carrier of conditions such as thalassaemia, and determine whether vaccination is recommended for infections such as rubella (German measles), varicella (chicken pox) and measles.
Testing may also include your blood group and Rhesus antibody status, which can be relevant for pregnancy care, as well as a full blood count to screen for anaemia. Identifying and addressing these issues before pregnancy can help optimise your health prior to conception.
Contracting certain infections just before or during your pregnancy can pose significant risk to your developing baby. Vaccinations to consider before you start trying to conceive include:
A cervical screening test is recommended for all women who have ever been sexually active, aged between 25-74 years every five years. This test was previously known as a pap smear, and is designed to detect abnormal cells that may indicate a risk of cervical cancer. As your options for cervical cancer treatment may be limited if you fall pregnant, it is recommended to rule this out with a screening test prior to trying to conceive. Similarly, the preconception stage is the optimal time to ensure you have had a recent breast check (recommended annually).
RGCS tests for abnormal genes carried by yourself or your partner, even if you have no known diagnosis or family history of a genetic disorder. If both yourself and your partner carry the same faulty gene, combining these chromosomes during conception can result in a child affected by a genetic condition, some of which can be severe and debilitating. You can read more about reproductive genetic carrier screening here.
Being overweight or obese can make falling pregnant more difficult and increase pregnancy risks such as miscarriage, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Similarly, being underweight can cause problems with conceiving, and can increase the risk of a low birth weight baby and problems during labour.
Regular physical exercise and aiming for a balanced diet can help you to manage your weight as well as contribute to a range of other physical and mental health benefits. Your emotional wellbeing can be supported through good quality sleep, and practising relaxation techniques to minimise stress. If you are having trouble managing stress, you may want to reach out to your GP, counsellor, your partner, or friends and family.
Avoid smoking, illicit drugs, and excessive caffeine or alcohol. Certain medications, exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, and radiation should also be avoided due to their impact on your fertility.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Testing may help identify ovulation issues, hormone imbalances, ovarian reserve concerns and other factors affecting fertility.
