👨🏼⚕️ A preconception visit is a term used to refer to a visit where a physician reviews a patient’s medical history and does an exam with the goal of optimizing a woman’s health and chances of a good pregnancy outcome.
👩🏽⚕️ Most doctors use this visit to help identify any risks to the mother or fetus, educate women about what these risks entail and how to reduce them, and connect her with any resources or specialists she may need.
👍🏽 While most patients do not see a physician for a preconception visit, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) states that seeing a doctor prior to getting pregnant is “a good idea.” I agree!
There are several groups where this would be especially important. These include (but are not limited to):
⭐ Women with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid diseases, obesity, etc. For some of these, you may be referred to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist (high-risk obstetric physician) to review your condition more in detail.
⭐️ Women who take medications daily, to ensure that these are safe to take in pregnancy.
⭐️ Women who are affected or have family members who are affected by inheritable genetic conditions, such as Down syndrome, phenylketonuria, etc.
⭐️ Women who have difficulty fully quitting the use of alcohol, tobacco, or recreational drugs.
🤷🏾♀️ If you aren’t sure if you should see a physician, or merely want to discuss your specific situation with your doctor, you should absolutely seek one. It can only be beneficial to you, and it will help you build a relationship with your physician which you can hopefully continue through your pregnancy (if your doctor practices obstetrics).
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