Preconception Counseling

“Would you like to become pregnant in the next year?”

The goal of pre-pregnancy care is to optimize your health, address any modifiable risk factors and provide education about a healthy pregnancy.

Why is this important? You may be able to reduce risks to you and your baby.

Many chronic medical conditions – diabetes, hypertension, psychiatric illness, and thyroid disease – can impact pregnancy outcomes and should be optimally managed before pregnancy.

Pregnancy complications may be reduced by appropriate identification and mitigation of risk factors, while genetic screening may allow a couple to make informed decisions regarding family planning. 

What can you expect to be covered at a preconception visit?

• Family planning and pregnancy spacing

• Immunity and immunization status

• Risk factors for sexually transmitted infections

• Substance use, including alcohol, tobacco and recreational and illicit drugs

• Exposure to violence and intimate partner violence

• Medical, surgical and psychiatric history

• Current medications (prescription and non prescriptions)

• Family history (both mother and father)

• Nutrition

• Body mass index (BMI)

• Prepregnancy folic acid supplementation to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs)

• Teratogens (an agent that causes fetal abnormality following exposure in pregnancy): environmental and occupational exposures 

Schedule your visit if you are considering pregnancy and want to optimize your health and the health of your baby.