What to know when preparing for pregnancy
[5 MIN READ]
In this article:
- One of the most important ways you can prepare for pregnancy is by finding a provider you trust and scheduling a preconception checkup with them — even if you’ve already had a baby.
- Your provider can help evaluate your medical history and genetic makeup to optimize your health before pregnancy. They can also advise you on ways to add healthy habits to your daily routine, help you with ovulation tracking and provide you with stress management tips.
- When choosing a provider, look for someone who makes you feel comfortable, answers your questions and addresses your concerns.
What to know when preparing for pregnancy
Many women don’t start pregnancy planning until they’re already pregnant. But it’s a missed opportunity, according to Dafna Trites, D.O., a Providence OB-GYN at Facey Medical Group in Tarzana, California.
When you’re ready to start a family — or grow an existing one — the more planning you do ahead of time, the better prepared you’ll be once your baby arrives.
Why you should see your doctor before trying to conceive
One of the most important ways you can get ready for pregnancy is by finding a provider you trust and scheduling a preconception checkup with them — even if you’ve already had a baby.
“There are just so many things we can test for these days before pregnancy,” Dr. Trites says. “We can evaluate your medical history, discuss medications and vitamins to take, talk about ovulation timing, and help dispel myths.”
Here are some reasons you should visit your doctor before trying to conceive:
Reproductive health screenings
Overall health is a critical component of a healthy pregnancy. That’s why your doctor will likely make sure you’re up to date on needed vaccines and ask questions about your family history, as well as perform a routine physical exam and blood tests that look for health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. That way, you can get treated and the issue under control before you become pregnant.
Your doctor will also want to rule out conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can affect fertility.
In addition, your doctor may recommend genetic testing — a simple blood test that can tell you whether you’re a carrier for a genetic disease or chromosomal abnormality.
“It can be nice to perform genetic testing ahead of pregnancy because it can influence your decision-making around getting pregnant,” Dr. Trites says. For example, if you learn you’re a carrier of a defective gene linked to cystic fibrosis, you may want to find out if your partner is, too, because it could affect your future baby’s risk of developing the disease.
Your doctor can also help you understand the role your age may play in fertility.
“Age is a big factor in terms of a woman’s ability to get pregnant and the risk of miscarriages or chromosomal issues,” Dr. Trites says. “Obviously, age isn’t something a woman can change. But if she comes to us and shares that she’s not sure about starting a family because of a career or a relationship, we can share statistics and give her a realistic view of what a pregnancy may look like as she ages.”
Dr. Trites adds that although fertility preservation techniques like egg freezing, or cryopreservation, are available today, they can be expensive — and they’re not always successful.
Also, if you’ve had trouble conceiving in the past, your doctor may recommend an anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) test, which measures the amount of the hormone in your blood.
AMH plays an important role in developing a baby’s reproductive organs while in the uterus. AMH levels correspond to the number of eggs a woman has. Fertility specialists often use the test to provide a snapshot of a woman’s reproductive health and their chances of having a successful pregnancy.
Healthy habits
Meeting with your provider as part of your pre-pregnancy planning is also a good way to learn healthy behaviors you can incorporate into your daily routine now. Those may include habits like eating a balanced diet, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, upping your water intake, and taking folic acid, a prenatal vitamin that helps protect a baby from birth defects.
You and your provider can also discuss any medications you’re taking that you may need to stop before you become pregnant.
“It’s really great to have a healthy start well before you’re actually pregnant,” Dr. Trites says.
That includes getting rid of any extra weight you may have to lose, stopping any alcohol or drug use, and quitting smoking.
“Your doctor can help be that extra push to do whatever you can to be healthy ahead of your pregnancy,” Dr. Trites says.
Ovulation tracking
Many women who are thinking about becoming pregnant want to know when they’re ovulating, which is the phase of the menstrual cycle when an egg is released from one of the ovaries to await fertilization.
Your doctor can help you determine when you’re ovulating and recommend ovulation tracking apps or over-the-counter kits to use as predictors.
“A woman’s fertile window is the week around ovulation,” Dr. Trites says. “If you can narrow down when you’re ovulating, even if it changes a little bit from month to month, it gives you a window.”
Still, there’s no one-size-fits-all for when a woman will ovulate: “That’s another reason to come in early,” Dr. Trites says, “so we can help address those kinds of questions and track fertility.”
Stress management
Tracking fertility and menstrual cycles also means accounting for factors like stress, which can throw cortisol and insulin levels out of whack and affect ovulation timing.
To keep your stress under control when you’re trying to have a baby, your doctor can help you learn some stress management techniques, like exercising, journaling, joining a support group or even seeing a therapist. These go-to techniques can help you before you become pregnant, but also during pregnancy, when your hormones can sometimes roller coaster out of control.
“Having a therapist you’ve already partnered with or having those healthy habits already implemented in advance can come in handy once you’re pregnant,” Dr. Trites says.
How to choose a provider
Choosing a doctor who’s right for you comes down to how you feel with that provider, Dr. Trites says.
“Are they listening to you, answering your questions and addressing your concerns?” she says. “You want to have a situation where you can communicate with your doctor easily.”
It’s also important to choose a provider who has a lot of experience in the pre- through post-pregnancy journey. “You want to make sure you’re not going to be bounced around, but the provider you choose will be your doctor the whole time,” Dr. Trites says.
Planning beyond pregnancy
One other important takeaway: Just like many women don’t start pregnancy planning until they’re already pregnant, many women also don’t plan beyond the pregnancy.
“Remember that, in less than a year, you’re going to have a baby,” Dr. Trites says. “What is your plan for after the baby is born? Who’s going to take care of them? You need to have a plan in place. Otherwise, it can cause a lot of stress and anxiety during the already turbulent postpartum period.”
“Even if you’re healthy, it’s still a really good idea to come in and meet with a health care provider before trying to get pregnant,” says Dr. Trites. “It’s a great opportunity to start a pregnancy off on the right foot.”
Contributing caregiver
Dafna Trites, D.O., is a Providence OB-GYN at Facey Medical Group in Tarzana, California.
Find a doctor
At Providence, we have a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who specialize in maternity care. Whether you choose an obstetrician, midwife or family practice doctor for your prenatal care and delivery, our specialists give you options while providing you with exceptional, comprehensive care.
Find a provider who’s right for you in our provider directory.
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Related resources
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
