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Ready, Set, Conceive!

Preconception Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy

By Lisa Hurt Kozarovich

Do you like to spend time in the hot tub? The hot water could cause fertility problems for the man and can cause closure of the neural tube in the woman, which could lead to spina bifida, according to Dr. Powell.

Once you have the answers to those questions, it's time to schedule a preconception visit with your doctor. The doctor should go over your health and family history, discuss any medications you're currently taking and, in some cases, consider switching your medication, do a pap smear, listen to your heart and lungs, take your blood pressure and run a simple blood and urine test if you haven't had one in the past year, according to Dr. Petrikovsky, chairman of the OB/GYN department at Nassau University Medical Center in New York. You may also want to be tested for HIV, which may affect your decision or your treatment during pregnancy.

Dr. Petrikovsky says the visit should take place at least three months before you begin trying to conceive. "We recommend that visit because you should start prenatal vitamins at least three months prior to conception," he says. "It's very important to build your body up. You especially want to make sure you have enough folic acid, which can help prevent birth defects like spina bifida." In fact, folic acid in the prevention of birth defects is probably the biggest advancement in 10 years, he adds.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 to 70 percent of neural tube defects can be prevented if women have adequate levels of folic acid leading up to and following conception.

In addition to supplements, women should also be sure to eat a balanced diet, including the four food groups, especially plenty of green vegetables and fruit, like apples, he says. Your doctor also will probably recommend that you either stop, or at least cut back, on your caffeine and alcohol intake, and stop smoking. Poor nourishment and smoking have been linked to fertility problems, miscarriages, premature births and low birth weight, Dr. Powell points out. As for alcohol, she says, "I have people who come to me worried because they had a few too many drinks on New Year's Eve before they realized they were pregnant. I tell them a small amount of alcohol in moderation is extremely unlikely to affect pregnancy early on. What we don't know is what the safe limits of alcohol use are later on in pregnancy, so at that point I suggest they abstain."

Want to see more?

• Folic Acid: A Vital Part of Preconception
• Preconception Visits: Working With Your Doctor
• Later in Life: Pregnancy at 35 and Older
• Talk about it!