Preconception counselling
Post by on Saturday, December 11, 2021
If you want to have a baby it is important to see your health care provider and seek counselling for the pregnancy. This is more important in the following conditions:
1. Maternal age above 35 years
2. Father's age above 50 years
3. Consanguinous marriage ie marriage between blood relatives
4. If you had a baby with congenital malformations
During prenatal counselling the doctor will take your history, look for diabetes, hypertension and other diseases. She will take your BMI and advise you to achieve an ideal body weight before getting pregnant. If you take any medication please share with your doctor. I have seen women hiding history of seizure disorders from their doctor with disastrous consequences.
The medicines for diabetes , hypertension, seizures, thyroid disease need to be tailored to your needs during pregnancy. Some medicines can be harmful to the fetus so they have to be changed. And its important to control these conditions before you become pregnant.
Your doctor will also advise you to take folic acid supplements.
Some women require tests like maternal alpha fetoprotein, triple test, fetal karyotyping to rule out foetal anomalies.
