Essential Tests When Planning for Pregnancy
What is a preconception checkup and why is it important?
Your healthcare practitioner can ensure that your body is prepared for pregnancy with the aid of a preconception checkup. Get your check-up from the medical professional you wish to look after you during your pregnancy, if at all possible. A preconception examination can be scheduled at any time, up to a year before you intend to become pregnant.
Certain medical disorders can have an impact on pregnancy and fertility, including diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, and being overweight or underweight. They may also be impacted by smoking or misusing illegal or prescribed substances. Your healthcare professional can assist you in changing your lifestyle and managing medical issues so that your baby is born healthy.
Get screened for preconception even if you are a mother already. It's possible that since your last pregnancy, your health has changed. Your healthcare practitioner might be able to assist you in avoiding a repeat of a previous pregnancy issue if you had one. Seek a preconception evaluation if you have experienced:
- Premature birth. This is birth that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
- A baby with birth defects. Birth defects are health conditions that are present at birth. They change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. They can cause problems in overall health, in how the body develops or in how the body works.
- Miscarriage. This is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
- Stillbirth. This is when a baby dies in the womb before birth, but after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
What provider do you see for a preconception checkup?
Get your preconception checkup from the doctor who will treat you after you become pregnant, generally known as your prenatal care provider, if at all possible. You have a variety of options when selecting a prenatal care provider from among physicians and nurses. These healthcare professionals can all deliver your baby and look after you during your pregnancy:
- A physician with the education and skills to care for expectant mothers and deliver newborns is known as an obstetrician, or OB. Locating an OB in your area is made easier with the aid of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- A family practice physician, sometimes known as a family practice doctor, is a medical professional who can treat any member of your family. Your pregnancies can be treated by this physician before, during, and after. You can locate a family physician in your neighborhood with the aid of the American Board of Family Medicine.
- A doctor of medicine (OB) having the education and training to care for women in high-risk pregnancies is known as a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist. See an MFM specialist if you have any health disorders that could create issues during pregnancy. Find an expert in your area with the assistance of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
- Nursing professionals with the education and training to care for every member of your family are known as family nurse practitioners, or FNPs. To locate a nurse practitioner in your region, contact the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
- A nurse with education and training to care for women of all ages, including pregnant women, is known as a women's health nurse practitioner, or WHNP. You can locate a WHNP in your area with the assistance of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
- A midwife is a medical professional with the education and training to care for pregnant and other women of all ages. Verify whether your midwife holds a certification from the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) or the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Certified nurse-midwives, or CNMs, and certified midwives, or CMs, are both certified by the AMCB. Certified Professional Midwives, or CPMs, are certified by NARM. You can locate a midwife in your neighborhood with the aid of ACNM and NARM.
What happens at a preconception checkup?
At your preconception checkup, your provider checks your overall health to make sure your body is ready for pregnancy. You and your provider can talk about:
- Folic acid. Every cell in your body requires folic acid for proper growth and development. Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy can help shield your unborn child from neural tube defects, which affect the brain and spine, and oral birth defects, which affect the lips and palate. Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, before becoming pregnant.
- Health conditions that can affect your pregnancy. Diabetes, depression, hypertension, and not being at a healthy weight are a few of them. Your healthcare professional examines you for illnesses such as toxoplasmosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and genital herpes. In order to determine whether any health issues run in your family or your partner's family, your physician will also inquire about your past medical history. To begin gathering your family's medical history, use the March of Dimes Family Health History Form and give it to your clinician. Your healthcare practitioner can advise you to contact a genetic counselor if she discovers that specific medical disorders run in your family. This individual is qualified to advise you on genetics, birth defects, and other hereditary medical disorders and how they may impact the health of both you and your unborn child.
- Medicines you take. Your doctor will check to make sure any medication you take won't harm your unborn child. This covers over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, herbal products, and supplements. Inform your physician of all the medications you use.
- Vaccinations. Vaccines contain medication that increases your immunity to specific illnesses. Immunity prevents you from contracting the illness. During pregnancy, illnesses like German measles, commonly known as rubella, and chickenpox can be harmful to both you and your unborn child. Prior to becoming pregnant, it is advisable to complete your vaccination schedule against certain infections.
- Smoking, drinking alcohol and abusing prescription or street drugs. If you require assistance in quitting, your provider can help.
- Unsafe chemicals at home or work. Certain chemicals, such as paint, weed killer, and cleaning supplies, can be dangerous to your unborn child while you are pregnant. Consult your healthcare practitioner about self-defense strategies to safeguard your infant.
- When to stop using birth control. The strategy to prevent pregnancy is termed birth control, or contraception. A few months before to attempting to conceive, your doctor could advise you to cease taking birth control. This permits a few regular menstrual cycles in your body. Your provider can determine your due date when you become pregnant if you had regular cycles prior to becoming pregnant. The monthly release of an egg by your ovaries is known as ovulation and is the procedure that causes your menstrual cycle. The fallopian tubes carry the egg to the uterus. During pregnancy, the uterus, also known as the womb, is where your baby develops. The egg travels through the vagina along with uterine tissue and blood if it is not fertilized by a man's sperm.
Your provider may:
- Give you a physical exam that involves determining your blood pressure and weight.
- Give you a pelvic exam. This examination checks the health of the pelvic organs, including the ovaries, uterus, cervix, and vagina. The opening to your uterus that is located at the top of the vagina is called the cervix. Receiving therapy for any issues you may have with these organs prior to becoming pregnant may help avoid issues during the pregnancy. In the event that you are having difficulties becoming pregnant, treatment may also be helpful.
- Do a Pap test. In order to screen for cancer, your doctor will take cells from your cervix during this medical test.
- Test your blood to check your blood type and Rh factor. Red blood cells contain a protein called Rh factor. Your baby may experience issues if her Rh factor is positive if yours is negative.
- Recommend that you see a genetic counselor if specific medical disorders run in your family. A genetic counselor can help you understand how genes, birth abnormalities, and other hereditary medical disorders might affect your health and the health of your unborn child. They have the necessary skills to do this.
What tests can you get before pregnancy to help you find out about genetic conditions that may affect your baby?
You can get carrier screening tests done before getting pregnant, which measure the amount of specific genetic disorders in your saliva or blood. Genes transmit genetic conditions from parents to offspring. The components of your body's cells called genes contain the instructions necessary for your body to develop and function. Being a carrier means that although you do not have the ailment yourself, you can pass on the gene alteration to your offspring.
The likelihood that your unborn child will have the same illness rises if you and your spouse are carriers of the same gene. Considering your baby's risk and deciding whether to become pregnant can be aided by getting tested before becoming pregnant. You can test your buddy as well. Choosing carrier screening is up to you. Even when your provider suggests it, you are under no obligation to comply if you choose not to.
Every woman considering pregnancy has the option to get checked for:
- Cystic fibrosis (also called CF). CF is a condition that affects breathing and digestion. Digestion is the way your body processes the food you eat.
- Spinal muscular atrophy (also called SMA). SMA is a disease that attacks nerve cells in the spinal cord. It weakens muscles and can affect movement, breathing and swallowing.
- Thalassemias. These are blood conditions that cause the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells.
- Hemoglobinopathies. These conditions affect red blood cells in the body.
Some women undergo carrier screening for genetically or familially inherited illnesses. A collection of individuals who share a language or culture and are frequently from the same nation is known as an ethnic group. If any of these conditions run in your family or ethnic group, you might wish to get screened for carriers:
- Fragile X syndrome. This condition happens when the body can’t make enough of a protein it needs for the brain to grow and develop. If Fragile X syndrome runs in your family, your provider may recommend carrier testing.
- Tay Sachs disease. This is a condition that causes nerve cells in the brain and spine to die. It’s more common in people who are Central and Eastern European Jewish (also called Ashkenazi Jews), French-Canadian, Louisiana Cajun or Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania.
Preimplantation testing, also known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, may be of interest to you if you or your partner is a carrier and you are undergoing in vitro fertilization, or IVF. During in vitro fertilization (IVF), a lab produces an embryo (fertilized egg), which is subsequently implanted (placed) within your uterus. Before the embryo's cells are inserted into your uterus, this test looks for genetic alterations in them. Implantation of only healthy embryos—those with no altered genes—occurs. Understanding your test results and the likelihood that your unborn child will inherit a genetic problem can be aided by your healthcare professional or genetic counselor.
Do you need a dental checkup before pregnancy?
Indeed. Prior to and throughout your pregnancy, schedule routine dental examinations. According to certain research, gum disease increases the risk of preterm birth or low birth weight babies. When a baby is born underweight, it indicates that they weigh less than five pounds, eight ounces. Receiving treatment for gum disease prior to becoming pregnant can help you and your unborn child avoid health issues.
Inform your dentist that you intend to become pregnant when you see him. Additionally, make sure your dentist is aware of your pregnancy when you visit him during this time.
- What is a preconception checkup and why is it important?
- What provider do you see for a preconception checkup?
- What happens at a preconception checkup?
- What tests can you get before pregnancy to help you find out about genetic conditions that may affect your baby?
- Do you need a dental checkup before pregnancy?
What is a preconception checkup and why is it important?
Your healthcare practitioner can ensure that your body is prepared for pregnancy with the aid of a preconception checkup. Get your check-up from the medical professional you wish to look after you during your pregnancy, if at all possible. A preconception examination can be scheduled at any time, up to a year before you intend to become pregnant.
Certain medical disorders can have an impact on pregnancy and fertility, including diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, and being overweight or underweight. They may also be impacted by smoking or misusing illegal or prescribed substances. Your healthcare professional can assist you in changing your lifestyle and managing medical issues so that your baby is born healthy.
Get screened for preconception even if you are a mother already. It's possible that since your last pregnancy, your health has changed. Your healthcare practitioner might be able to assist you in avoiding a repeat of a previous pregnancy issue if you had one. Seek a preconception evaluation if you have experienced:
- Premature birth. This is birth that happens before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
- A baby with birth defects. Birth defects are health conditions that are present at birth. They change the shape or function of one or more parts of the body. They can cause problems in overall health, in how the body develops or in how the body works.
- Miscarriage. This is when a baby dies in the womb before 20 weeks of pregnancy.
- Stillbirth. This is when a baby dies in the womb before birth, but after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
What provider do you see for a preconception checkup?
Get your preconception checkup from the doctor who will treat you after you become pregnant, generally known as your prenatal care provider, if at all possible. You have a variety of options when selecting a prenatal care provider from among physicians and nurses. These healthcare professionals can all deliver your baby and look after you during your pregnancy:
- A physician with the education and skills to care for expectant mothers and deliver newborns is known as an obstetrician, or OB. Locating an OB in your area is made easier with the aid of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
- A family practice physician, sometimes known as a family practice doctor, is a medical professional who can treat any member of your family. Your pregnancies can be treated by this physician before, during, and after. You can locate a family physician in your neighborhood with the aid of the American Board of Family Medicine.
- A doctor of medicine (OB) having the education and training to care for women in high-risk pregnancies is known as a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist. See an MFM specialist if you have any health disorders that could create issues during pregnancy. Find an expert in your area with the assistance of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
- Nursing professionals with the education and training to care for every member of your family are known as family nurse practitioners, or FNPs. To locate a nurse practitioner in your region, contact the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
- A nurse with education and training to care for women of all ages, including pregnant women, is known as a women's health nurse practitioner, or WHNP. You can locate a WHNP in your area with the assistance of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
- A midwife is a medical professional with the education and training to care for pregnant and other women of all ages. Verify whether your midwife holds a certification from the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) or the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Certified nurse-midwives, or CNMs, and certified midwives, or CMs, are both certified by the AMCB. Certified Professional Midwives, or CPMs, are certified by NARM. You can locate a midwife in your neighborhood with the aid of ACNM and NARM.
What happens at a preconception checkup?
At your preconception checkup, your provider checks your overall health to make sure your body is ready for pregnancy. You and your provider can talk about:
- Folic acid. Every cell in your body requires folic acid for proper growth and development. Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy can help shield your unborn child from neural tube defects, which affect the brain and spine, and oral birth defects, which affect the lips and palate. Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, before becoming pregnant.
- Health conditions that can affect your pregnancy. Diabetes, depression, hypertension, and not being at a healthy weight are a few of them. Your healthcare professional examines you for illnesses such as toxoplasmosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and genital herpes. In order to determine whether any health issues run in your family or your partner's family, your physician will also inquire about your past medical history. To begin gathering your family's medical history, use the March of Dimes Family Health History Form and give it to your clinician. Your healthcare practitioner can advise you to contact a genetic counselor if she discovers that specific medical disorders run in your family. This individual is qualified to advise you on genetics, birth defects, and other hereditary medical disorders and how they may impact the health of both you and your unborn child.
- Medicines you take. Your doctor will check to make sure any medication you take won't harm your unborn child. This covers over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications, herbal products, and supplements. Inform your physician of all the medications you use.
- Vaccinations. Vaccines contain medication that increases your immunity to specific illnesses. Immunity prevents you from contracting the illness. During pregnancy, illnesses like German measles, commonly known as rubella, and chickenpox can be harmful to both you and your unborn child. Prior to becoming pregnant, it is advisable to complete your vaccination schedule against certain infections.
- Smoking, drinking alcohol and abusing prescription or street drugs. If you require assistance in quitting, your provider can help.
- Unsafe chemicals at home or work. Certain chemicals, such as paint, weed killer, and cleaning supplies, can be dangerous to your unborn child while you are pregnant. Consult your healthcare practitioner about self-defense strategies to safeguard your infant.
- When to stop using birth control. The strategy to prevent pregnancy is termed birth control, or contraception. A few months before to attempting to conceive, your doctor could advise you to cease taking birth control. This permits a few regular menstrual cycles in your body. Your provider can determine your due date when you become pregnant if you had regular cycles prior to becoming pregnant. The monthly release of an egg by your ovaries is known as ovulation and is the procedure that causes your menstrual cycle. The fallopian tubes carry the egg to the uterus. During pregnancy, the uterus, also known as the womb, is where your baby develops. The egg travels through the vagina along with uterine tissue and blood if it is not fertilized by a man's sperm.
Your provider may:
- Give you a physical exam that involves determining your blood pressure and weight.
- Give you a pelvic exam. This examination checks the health of the pelvic organs, including the ovaries, uterus, cervix, and vagina. The opening to your uterus that is located at the top of the vagina is called the cervix. Receiving therapy for any issues you may have with these organs prior to becoming pregnant may help avoid issues during the pregnancy. In the event that you are having difficulties becoming pregnant, treatment may also be helpful.
- Do a Pap test. In order to screen for cancer, your doctor will take cells from your cervix during this medical test.
- Test your blood to check your blood type and Rh factor. Red blood cells contain a protein called Rh factor. Your baby may experience issues if her Rh factor is positive if yours is negative.
- Recommend that you see a genetic counselor if specific medical disorders run in your family. A genetic counselor can help you understand how genes, birth abnormalities, and other hereditary medical disorders might affect your health and the health of your unborn child. They have the necessary skills to do this.
What tests can you get before pregnancy to help you find out about genetic conditions that may affect your baby?
You can get carrier screening tests done before getting pregnant, which measure the amount of specific genetic disorders in your saliva or blood. Genes transmit genetic conditions from parents to offspring. The components of your body's cells called genes contain the instructions necessary for your body to develop and function. Being a carrier means that although you do not have the ailment yourself, you can pass on the gene alteration to your offspring.
The likelihood that your unborn child will have the same illness rises if you and your spouse are carriers of the same gene. Considering your baby's risk and deciding whether to become pregnant can be aided by getting tested before becoming pregnant. You can test your buddy as well. Choosing carrier screening is up to you. Even when your provider suggests it, you are under no obligation to comply if you choose not to.
Every woman considering pregnancy has the option to get checked for:
- Cystic fibrosis (also called CF). CF is a condition that affects breathing and digestion. Digestion is the way your body processes the food you eat.
- Spinal muscular atrophy (also called SMA). SMA is a disease that attacks nerve cells in the spinal cord. It weakens muscles and can affect movement, breathing and swallowing.
- Thalassemias. These are blood conditions that cause the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells.
- Hemoglobinopathies. These conditions affect red blood cells in the body.
Some women undergo carrier screening for genetically or familially inherited illnesses. A collection of individuals who share a language or culture and are frequently from the same nation is known as an ethnic group. If any of these conditions run in your family or ethnic group, you might wish to get screened for carriers:
- Fragile X syndrome. This condition happens when the body can’t make enough of a protein it needs for the brain to grow and develop. If Fragile X syndrome runs in your family, your provider may recommend carrier testing.
- Tay Sachs disease. This is a condition that causes nerve cells in the brain and spine to die. It’s more common in people who are Central and Eastern European Jewish (also called Ashkenazi Jews), French-Canadian, Louisiana Cajun or Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania.
Preimplantation testing, also known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, may be of interest to you if you or your partner is a carrier and you are undergoing in vitro fertilization, or IVF. During in vitro fertilization (IVF), a lab produces an embryo (fertilized egg), which is subsequently implanted (placed) within your uterus. Before the embryo's cells are inserted into your uterus, this test looks for genetic alterations in them. Implantation of only healthy embryos—those with no altered genes—occurs. Understanding your test results and the likelihood that your unborn child will inherit a genetic problem can be aided by your healthcare professional or genetic counselor.
Do you need a dental checkup before pregnancy?
Indeed. Prior to and throughout your pregnancy, schedule routine dental examinations. According to certain research, gum disease increases the risk of preterm birth or low birth weight babies. When a baby is born underweight, it indicates that they weigh less than five pounds, eight ounces. Receiving treatment for gum disease prior to becoming pregnant can help you and your unborn child avoid health issues.
Inform your dentist that you intend to become pregnant when you see him. Additionally, make sure your dentist is aware of your pregnancy when you visit him during this time.
