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Preconception counseling is an appointment with your doctor before pregnancy or attempting to become pregnant. During this appointment, your OB/GYN will review your medical history, risk factors, and discuss genetic testing options. Preconception counseling is an opportunity for you and your partner to help plan for a healthy pregnancy. We highly recommend investing in it because we believe it’s one of the best ways to give your baby the best start to a healthy life!
While it’s not required, we recommend the following women schedule preconception counseling. Women who:
It is also recommended if certain health conditions run in your family. At the very least, you may find it helpful to see us for genetic testing.
At your appointment, your OB/GYN will review your:
We’ll also review your partner’s health history, family health history, and medications.
All this information gives us a good idea of your health and how your body will handle pregnancy. It can also indicate whether factors are in place that can result in a high-risk pregnancy.
Preconception counseling will also include discussions about when it’s best to go off birth control. If you’re on birth control, it might affect ovulation, which can impact your pregnancy efforts. We can provide a timeline of how long it will take before your cycle regulates itself once you stop taking birth control. Your doctor can also discuss how to start trying to conceive.
During your appointment, we may recommend certain lab tests. Depending on your evaluation/examination and any risk factors we identify, we may order the following tests:
Your doctor may also recommend vaccines based on your vaccine history.
Your OB/GYN will also review healthy lifestyle choices and suggest certain vitamins or supplements. It’s important to review your current list of medications as well, as it is important to avoid certain medications while pregnant for the safety of both you and your baby.
During your appointment, your physician will likely bring up most, if not all, of the following topics. If you have any questions about them or other related topics, please feel free to ask us. One of the purposes of this appointment is to make you as comfortable as possible so you can make the best decision for your health – and that of your baby, should you choose to get pregnant.
Topics discussed include:
We’re going to discuss a lot of information during your preconception counseling appointment. We expect questions to come up and encourage you to ask them. We’re here to answer them and help you achieve your pregnancy goals.
Our physicians recommend coming up with a list of questions before your appointment and bringing it with you. So much information can be overwhelming and it’s easy to forget something you wanted to discuss. Having your questions on hand will ensure we get a chance to answer them and help you feel more confident about your appointment.