Preconception: Prepare pregnancy | OSF Healthcare

From preconception to childbirth, obstetricians and gynecologists agree that it is important to be in optimal health.

“Pregnancy is wonderful, but it can stress on your body,” said Annevay Conlee, MD, obstetrics and gynecology at Osf Healthcare.

Preconception

Preconception is this moment when you think you want to get pregnant in the near future. It is a kind of preparation time before getting pregnant.

Dr. Conlee encourages women to plan a preconceived appointment with their providers.

“You should meet your ob / gyn before you even get pregnant. Plan a preconception visit as soon as you first thought you might like getting pregnant. You and your supplier can talk about all the things that make healthy fertility and pregnancy.”

“Regarding fertility, I think it is important to know your body. Your fertility depends on how your menstrual cycle is regular. And there are several different ways to know this,” said Dr. Conlee.

Dr. Conlee suggests that women should know their bodies and if their menstrual cycle is healthy.

A normal menstrual cycle is a fork of about 28 days, give or take a few days. If you have long or short cycles, something is wrong. Everything that is greater than 36 days is a long cycle. Anything shorter than 21 days is a short cycle.

Women can learn an effective method of monitoring the menstrual cycle, such as the Creighton fertility awareness model. Learning to follow your fertility gives you more control over your health. It is also useful to know when your most fertile window is if you try to get pregnant.

An additional advantage of mapping is the understanding of all the fertility problems you may have. The Creighton model will alert you anomalies or problems, and providers can use specialized treatments such as Naprotechnology ™ to medically or surgically correct fertility problems.

“You may meet a nurse to find out more about your menstrual cycle, even in adolescence of the first period. You learn what is normal, which is not normal, signs of fertility. You can learn what your outing reveals on your cycle. This knowledge helps you know your overall health,” said Dr. Conlee.

Design

Healthy lifestyle

If you are thinking of trying to get pregnant soon, start with a healthy lifestyle and a diet. Being a healthy weight for your body increases your chances of getting pregnant. He also helps you support a healthy pregnancy when the time comes.

Having a healthy lifestyle before and when design will help reduce risks during pregnancy. Certain congenital malformations, such as the defects of the neural tube, can occur before you even know that you are pregnant. So being as healthy as possible will give you and your baby the best opportunity to prosper during pregnancy.

Prenatal vitamins

There are even advantages of prenatal vitamins although they are not pregnant.

Prenatal vitamins offer many supplements to a healthy diet. They can increase vitamins and minerals in your body, such as iron and folic acid. These supplements help your body support a healthy pregnancy and a baby. Prenatal vitamins also increase collagen and keratin, which can cause healthier skin, hair and nails.

However, Dr. Conlee does not recommend taking prenatal vitamins if you do not try to design. You can end up with too many vitamins or minerals, which can cause other problems in the future.

Fertile window

In addition to looking at your diet and your lifestyle, you can also start to follow your menstrual cycle.

Ovulation can occur a different day each month. The use of a fertility awareness method, like Creighton, can help to know when ovulation occurs from one month to the next.

You can usually say when you ovule according to the mucus you notice when you go to the toilet. If the mucus is expandable, clear and slippery, it is a sign that you are fertile. Many women describe this type of mucus like egg whites.

Women are the most fertile during ovulation and about three days later. The ovulation and the first days of the luteal phase are when a woman is the most fertile.

However, there are some exceptions. Sperm can last inside a woman’s body for a few days. So, even if you have not yet ovulated, you can still get pregnant if you have had sex in the days preceding ovulation.

When to pass a pregnancy test

Most home pregnancy tests can give you a reliable result the day after your first missed period. If you suspect that you could be pregnant, wait until you have a test until you miss a period. If you are taking a test too early, your chances of obtaining a false negative increase, even if you are pregnant.

Home pregnancy tests measure the HCG level in your urine. Regardless of the day of the day you have a test. But your urine is more concentrated in the morning, which means that the HCG level present could be slightly higher.

Read the instructions on the pregnancy test box for how the results have appeared. The positive results are often presented with two lines or a more sign. Negative results are often shown with a negative line or sign.

If you are taking a test and it is negative, but you still haven’t started your period after a week, do another pregnancy test.

If you have passed a home pregnancy test and it’s positive, plan an appointment with you OB. Health care providers generally see pregnant women around the brand of four to six weeks.

Last update: November 19, 2024