Preconception Visits

Working With Your Doctor

By Nancy Vondrak

It might be the first thing you've agreed upon since your wedding date. Finally, you and your spouse have decided that now is the time to begin "trying." You've agreed that you want to start a family.

For many couples today, a preconception visit is the first step on the road to a healthy pregnancy. Preconception visits were first recommended in 1989 by a federal panel of experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The popularity of preconception visits today illustrates an encouraging fact: Women are taking charge of their reproductive health more than ever before.

The idea behind a preconception visit is that a couple and an OB/GYN doctor will begin working together on a program personally designed to provide a quick and easy conception. Hopefully, a couple will then benefit by experiencing a healthy pregnancy while decreasing the risk of miscarriage and baby birth defects.

At a preconception visit, most doctors will want a detailed "his and hers" health history. Information about the future parents-to-be's health histories is usually requested in the following categories:

Reproductive Health
Although your OB/GYN will have your medical history on file, your doctor may want to know some information about your partner's reproductive history. This includes the number of children he has fathered and if he has fathered any children with birth defects.

Family Medical History
Since the family history of both parents can affect a pregnancy, your doctor will want to know if any of the following conditions are in either partner's family background:

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