Pre-pregnancy checkup key for mother’s, baby’s health

By Beatrice Allison

Question: Most women call their OB-GYNS to start pre-natal care once they know they’re pregnant. Why is it important for a woman to see her doctor before she gets pregnant?

Answer: It is important for a woman to get a pre-pregnancy checkup to find out how best to prepare herself for pregnancy and have the healthiest baby possible.

At the time of the checkup, the woman should tell her health-care provider about her family’s medical history; conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clotting disorders and infections should be well under control before pregnancy. It also is best to find out what immunizations are needed and obtain them prior to becoming pregnant.

Q: What precautions can a woman take in her daily life before she knows she’s pregnant to help keep herself and a future baby healthy?

A: It is extremely important for a woman to start taking folic acid prior to the pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin that will help reduce your baby’s risk of a brain or spinal defect.

It is important that the folic acid be taken before and during early pregnancy. The March of Dimes recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day as part of a healthy diet. A woman can obtain this amount of folic acid by taking a multivitamin daily or taking 400 micrograms of a folic acid vitamin supplement.

Folic acid also can be found in fortified breakfast cereal, oranges, orange juice and green leafy vegetables.
Adopt healthy habits and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol; check with your health-care provider before taking any over-the-counter drugs. Also, maintain a healthy weight. Attempt to exercise for 30 minutes at least five days per week.

Q: Do you think most women do these things?

A: I think women planning on becoming pregnant try to take care of themselves and want to have healthy babies. I feel that when unplanned pregnancy occurs, this is when the recommendations for pre-conception health are not followed.

Q: Is it OK to get pregnant as soon as you stop the pill or another form of hormonal birth control?

A: It is best to check with your obstetrician or health-care provider concerning this issue, but the general recommendation is to complete one full menstrual cycle after you have stopped taking the birth control pills before planning on becoming pregnant.

Q: What is the Oneida County Health Department doing to educate women about these issues?

A: The department works with other agencies in the community to educate women and families on the importance of pre-conceptual care through the media and public service announcements.

* The Maternal Child Health Nursing Program provides home visits by a registered nurse to pregnant and postpartum families.

* The Community Health Worker Program is designed to encourage pregnant women and families with young children to use primary health care.

* The Healthy Families Oneida County program helps families to meet the challenges of parenting. It is a nationally accredited program for the prevention of child abuse and neglect.

To find out more about these programs, call 798-5906 and ask to speak with a nursing supervisor.

Q: Once a woman finds out she is pregnant, how quickly should she begin prenatal care?

A: Once a woman finds out she is pregnant she should schedule an appointment with a GYN provider as soon as possible. It is very important that the first prenatal visit occur in the first trimester (three months) of pregnancy.

Beatrice Allison RN, MS is the director of Community Wellness at the Oneida County Health Department.

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