Should You See Your OB-GYN Before Trying to Conceive?

Once you’ve determined you’re prepared to turn out to be a mum or dad, there’s usually an odd sense of urgency that comes over you. It’s like a change is flipped; at some point you’re completely completely happy having fun with a mimosa after sleeping in on a leisurely Saturday, then the following you’re keen to toss your prosecco and quit on the thought of ever feeling rested once more. At this level, you desire a baby in your arms. So what’s subsequent? Should you see your OB-GYN earlier than making an attempt to conceive to guarantee the method is as environment friendly and profitable as attainable? Or do you wait till you truly turn out to be pregnant earlier than you make the appointment?

It’s humorous as a result of everyone knows how a baby is made (it’s been drilled into our heads since we hit puberty, in spite of everything), however till now, your focus has possible been on how to keep away from a shock being pregnant, so the thought of actively making an attempt to conceive can appear international. As it seems, it’s often not so simple as we have been led to consider, and it usually requires bodily consciousness and cautious calculation since there’s solely a small window of time every month when conception is even attainable.

You in all probability have a whole lot of questions and wish to make sure you’re bodily prepared for the journey. While you’ll be able to definitely attempt to depend on Dr. Google for recommendation and solutions, your finest wager is to name up your OB-GYN and arrange a pre-conception counseling session and checkup.

What Is Pre-Conception Counseling?

Pre-conception counseling is precisely what it seems like: a one-on-one assembly together with your physician that you just arrange earlier than you begin actively making an attempt to get pregnant. “Anticipating pregnancy is exciting, but can also cause some anxiety,” Ngina K. Connors, MD, MBA, OB-GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist, tells Pregnancy & Newborn. “Meeting with your provider can ease some of your concerns prior to conception by helping you know what to expect during pregnancy.” Additionally, in case you are planning to conceive with a associate (somewhat than with a donor), it’s a good suggestion to convey them alongside to the assembly as effectively, as the knowledge will probably be equally as helpful and vital to them.

As for what you’ll talk about on this assembly, it may differ based mostly in your and/or your associate’s well being, your timeline, and different elements. MargEva M. Cole, MD, Certified Menopause Practitioner and OB-GYN, explains that in these conferences sufferers can count on to cowl matters corresponding to “optimal timing for conception, diet, supplements, risk factors, etc.”

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) each suggest sufferers arrange an appointment with their supplier earlier than changing into pregnant. In reality, these organizations additionally encourage suppliers to convey up the subject of changing into pregnant with their sufferers, even when it’s not an official pre-conception counseling appointment, by asking sufferers if they want to turn out to be pregnant within the subsequent 12 months. The ACOG and ASRM consider that addressing the subject with sufferers provides “an opportunity to counsel about wellness and healthy habits which may improve reproductive and obstetric outcomes should [a patient] choose to reproduce.”

Do You Need a Physical Checkup Before Trying to Conceive?

Regardless of whether or not or not you’re making an attempt to get pregnant, it’s vital to arrange regular wellness checks together with your doctor to monitor each your general and reproductive well being. So, ideally, by the point you’re prepared to conceive, you’re all up to date together with your checkups and an extra examination gained’t be wanted. However, when you’re behind in your checkups, then it’s a good suggestion to add this appointment to your pre-conception counseling session as effectively. According to Dr. Cole, “Persons trying to conceive should be up to date on their routine health screening (pap smears, STD screens, vaccinations) and can be with their OB-GYN or primary care physician (PCP) prior to conception to make sure all is up to date.”

Questions to Ask Your OB-GYN Before Trying to Get Pregnant

Your pre-conception counseling session is a superb alternative for you and/or your associate to ask your physician all the burning questions you’ve got about making an attempt to conceive (and also you’ll get rather more personalised responses than you’ll from any Google search). You might have already got an inventory of inquiries prepared to go, however when you’re unsure the place to begin, listed below are some good issues to ask throughout your appointment.

Do I’ve any danger elements?

There are quite a lot of issues that may make getting pregnant harder or pose potential dangers as soon as you might be pregnant. It’s vital to talk about these danger elements together with your doctor to know what to count on and make sure you’re being correctly cared for all through the method. “If [the patient] has any medical problems (thyroid, high blood pressure, etc.), it is important that they discuss management with their PCP or OB prior to pregnancy to maximize their best chances for a healthy pregnancy,” says Dr. Cole. Other medical situations Dr. Connors says needs to be mentioned throughout pre-conception counseling embody coronary heart illness, diabetes, hypertension, and a historical past of blood clots. She additionally notes, that for sufferers with difficult medical histories, “Pre-conception counseling is also available with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, a physician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies.”

When ought to I cease taking contraception?

If you’ve ever talked to your mates about this, you’ve in all probability heard tales about it taking months earlier than they have been ready to conceive after they stopped taking contraception, or it taking place inside a month of it. The timeline is totally different for everybody, and the kind of contraception you’re on might play an element. Chances are excessive that your doctor will advise you to be ready to get pregnant inside a month of stopping your contraception (as a result of it can occur), however they may even talk about an inexpensive timeframe to count on based mostly in your private state of affairs.

How usually ought to I be having intercourse?

Again, you already know that so as to turn out to be pregnant the old school manner, you’ve got to have intercourse. But, is there a sure frequency try to be doing it? When is one of the best time to do it? What about intervals? Does place matter? As awkward as it could be to have this dialog together with your supplier, it’s nonetheless vital, as a result of we all know that getting pregnant is all about timing, and being well-informed of all the logistics is what provides you with one of the best likelihood of success.

How do I observe ovulation?

The cause timing is vital to making an attempt to conceive is due to ovulation. Ovulation solely occurs as soon as throughout a menstrual cycle, lasting for about 24 hours, and based mostly on the lifetime of a sperm and an egg, the ACOG says there’s a couple of seven-day window for profitable conception. While this may increasingly appear simple sufficient on the floor, you’ve got to know if you’re ovulating so as to discover this window of time, and everybody’s cycle is just a little totally different, so it may be actually tough to pinpoint precisely if you’re ovulating. Your OB-GYN will probably be very helpful in serving to you find out how to determine and predict at what level in your cycle you ovulate.

Are there any considerations about my household historical past that I ought to pay attention to?

Your baby’s DNA will probably be 50 % made up of your DNA, and 50 % made up of your associate’s DNA, which is why Dr. Connors suggests asking your OB-GYN, “Are there any concerns about my family history that I should be aware of?” There are numerous situations which might be hereditary or genetic, and when you or your associate are both identified with or susceptible to creating any of them, it’s vital to talk about them together with your physician. There could also be checks which might be really helpful, or on the very least, having this data forward of time will assist your OB make sure you and your baby are getting the very best care all through your being pregnant.

What drugs or dietary supplements ought to I begin or cease taking?

As you talk about your private medical historical past, it’s important to let your physician know what drugs you’re presently taking. While a whole lot of drugs are thought-about secure throughout being pregnant, simply as many are usually not, so you could want to discover different choices or doubtlessly even cease taking sure drugs altogether. Similarly, when you’re not already taking a prenatal vitamin, now’s the time to chat together with your physician about when to begin and if there are another dietary supplements they suggest you start taking to assist guarantee a wholesome being pregnant. All girls of childbearing age are encouraged to take a folic acid supplement daily, even when they haven’t any plans to conceive, in an effort to assist forestall beginning defects from forming early on in being pregnant.

Are there any way of life adjustments I ought to make?

Whether you’re one to get pleasure from a glass of vino on the finish of the day, you think about pizza to be a major meals group, or your concept of train is bouncing round a trampoline park just a few occasions per week, you want to have an trustworthy dialog together with your physician about your way of life throughout your pre-conception counseling session to make sure you’re making acceptable adjustments. In addition to sustaining a wholesome weight and exercising in a secure manner, Dr. Cole says sufferers must also “make sure to eat a healthy well-balanced diet, take a folate-containing supplement, and refrain from smoking tobacco or marijuana, drinking alcohol, or using drugs as they conceive.” If there’s some kind of meals, leisure exercise, or one other way of life measure you suppose may very well be questionable, don’t be afraid to convey it up to your doctor throughout this appointment; they aren’t judging you, they simply want to have all the data crucial to preserve you and your future infant wholesome.

When ought to I are available for my first prenatal go to?

Another query Dr. Connors recommends sufferers ask is when they need to be seen for his or her first prenatal go to. For low-risk pregnancies, you could be shocked by how lengthy you’ll have to wait to get that first ultrasound and checkup, and in case your being pregnant is taken into account high-risk, there could be extra urgency to getting your appointment scheduled than you understand. Your OB will let you already know the place you fall, and also can inform you any signs to search for that ought to immediate a go to earlier than your commonplace first prenatal appointment.

How lengthy does it take to get pregnant?

This is the reply everybody needs to know, isn’t it? Waiting for these two little traces to seem on a being pregnant take a look at is excruciating, and after just a few damaging outcomes, panic can begin to set in and make the method of making an attempt to conceive all of the extra anxious. Because of this, most suppliers are ready for this query. In order to reply it honestly, your doctor will take your well being and historical past into consideration (once more, because of this it’s vital to be completely trustworthy throughout your session), besides, needless to say they can’t assure something. The finest they’ll do is handle your expectations to assist put your thoughts relaxed for the journey forward.

When ought to I see a fertility specialist?

Unfortunately, conception doesn’t come simply for everybody, and when that occurs you would possibly begin to stress over ideas of infertility. To keep away from this panic, ask your physician upfront when it might be acceptable to begin exploring fertility help. During your appointment, be certain to share together with your supplier when you’ve got irregular durations, a historical past of miscarriage, or another considerations to allow them to take this data into consideration when answering this query for you.

For one thing seemingly so easy, there are much more variables that go into making an attempt to conceive than many people understand. By visiting your OB-GYN earlier than making an attempt to get pregnant, you’ll be able to assist set your self up for profitable conception and wholesome being pregnant.