Preconception Care Overview
A woman’s overall health is extremely important when she decides to become pregnant. By addressing any potential health concerns before conceiving, a future mom is giving her baby the best start to life. Dr. Dennis Eisenberg, board certified OBGYN in the Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas area, recommends all women consider preconception care as preventive medicine for both themselves and the baby. A simple pre-pregnancy checkup allows a physician to examine the overall physical and emotional health of a new mom, as well as to answer any questions or concerns she may have.
What is Preconception Care?
Preconception care is simple – it is defined as caring for a woman’s health before she becomes pregnant. The goal is to check for any potential pregnancy risks to both mom and baby, and to address any health concerns before pregnancy.
A thorough medical review and physical examination up to one year before conceiving helps women determine if they are physically and emotionally ready to bring a baby into the world. Preconception care also provides OBGYNs a health baseline to use during pregnancy.
A Pre-Pregnancy Checkup
A pre-pregnancy checkup is the ideal time for women to ask their physician any questions they may have, ranging from prenatal vitamins to delivery options to current health concerns.
The first step to this visit is the OBGYN asking numerous questions about health and lifestyle. Common areas of discussion include:
- Medical history such as current health conditions
- Surgical history, especially gynecologic surgeries
- Reproductive history such as abnormal pap smear results, previous pregnancies, contraceptive use, menstrual cycles and previous STDs or vaginal infections
- Current medications that are over-the-counter or prescribed
- Weight, diet and exercise
- Lifestyle choices, especially smoking, recreational drugs and alcohol use
- Family health history such as diabetes or high blood pressure
- Prenatal vitamins
- Vaccination history
- Emotional and physical history such as abuse or depression
The second step in many pre-pregnancy checkups is a detailed physical examination, pelvic exam and/or a pap smear. Routine blood work and/or urine tests are also commonly performed to detect any health condition that cannot be found during a physical examination.
Preconception care also includes how to chart menstrual cycles in order to determine the best time when a woman is most likely to conceive, as well as genetic counseling if a woman is at an advanced maternal age or if a family member has a genetic disorder or birth defect.
To learn more about preconception care, or to schedule a pre-pregnancy checkup with an OBGYN in the Plano, Frisco and Dallas, Texas area, please contact the office of Dr. Dennis Eisenberg.