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There is a lot to ask about. But there are the most important points that you should definitely pay attention to.
“Love will come unexpectedly” – this can be said about pregnancy. But if you are planning to conceive, then it is worth visiting a doctor long before him.
“I advise you to go to the gynecologist two months before you start trying to conceive a child. And if you have any chronic illnesses that could affect conception or pregnancy, then even earlier, ”says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Technology at Yale University School of Medicine.
What for? To prepare one hundred percent: a lot depends on how the pregnancy will proceed – both childbirth, and whether the baby will have health problems (up to dental problems already in preschool and adulthood), and the health of the mother herself. So what do you need to ask?
1. How long does it take to get pregnant
Normally, doctors give a year of attempts. If everyone is sterile, then you will have to resort to assistive technology. But there can be many nuances here. As you age, your chances of conceiving diminish, so wasting a year trying fruitlessly can be too much of a luxury. And if there are concomitant diseases, the prognosis can be even more severe.
2. When to stop taking birth control
And this is also individual. It all depends on your hormonal balance, what kind of drug you are taking, how your cycle will change after the pills are canceled – and it will change, you can be sure. It is very likely that after the pills are canceled, you will need more time for conception to occur, and it can take up to a year to normalize the cycle.
3. Do I need to take vitamins
You cannot prescribe supplements and vitamins for yourself, even those that doctors recommend to almost everyone, for example, folic acid. Even vitamins can be overdose, and then health problems cannot be avoided. For example, vitamin D can cause serious kidney problems if overused. But the doctor will prescribe both the drugs themselves and the dosage, and sometimes they need to be taken six months before conception.
4. Do I need to change my lifestyle
Yes, sometimes you have to. To part with bad habits, to balance and improve the diet, to put weight in order in case of excess or deficiency. Extreme physical activity can also harm, make it difficult to conceive. But it is unlikely that something will have to be changed dramatically, except for bad habits – you will have to part with them mercilessly.
5. Do I need to be vaccinated
The question is very serious. To answer it, you will have to undergo tests for antibodies to certain diseases, for example, rubella, chickenpox, measles and other “children’s” sores that are especially dangerous for pregnant women. And it doesn’t hurt to get vaccinated against the flu, even pregnancy is not a contraindication. But the disease itself, if it proceeds with a high temperature, can harm the fetus.