Pregnancy planning can be quite complex, so I’m going to try to bring it back to a few basic concepts (as I write this, I’m quite sure it will go longer than I’m planning…)

This does NOT apply to those people who have just found out they are pregnant. We are no longer planning at that stage, we are pregnant! So come on in if this is you.

Pre Pregnancy Multivitamins

It’s a jungle out there. There are so many to choose from, and the prices vary so much.

In essence, prior to pregnancy, you either need 400mcg of folic acid, of 5mg (12.5 x higher). How do you know which one you’ll need? See your GP and they can let you know. You’ll need this at least 1 month before pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

Blood tests can also be done prior to pregnancy to check on other important factors, like whether you have enough immunity to Rubella (if not, you can get a vaccine prior to pregnancy but can not get pregnant for 1 cycle after, as it is a live vaccine), your iron levels, Vit D if you are at risk of having low vitamin D, as well as many other routine bloods.

If you are found to be low in anything, a supplement can be started prior to conception also.

Most pre pregnancy mutltivitamins have a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, but if you’re truly low in anything, you’ll need separate supplementation. Once you’re pregnant you’ll need 150mcg of iodine added in, but we’ll go through what you need when we chat.

Remember, cost does not mean better, when it comes to pre pregnancy multivitamins.

How long before starting to get pregnant should you see your GP?

Where possible, I usually ask a patient to come see me 6-12 months before getting pregnant. This is because I love to look through your history, and see if there is anything that I need to change or we need to work on as a team, prior to getting pregnant.

Things we might need to work on are nutrition, weight, blood pressure, changing contraception over to new contraception, making a plan for getting off contraception, changing medication over to safer options, and optimising any pre – existing conditions such as asthma.
You can be given blood test forms, and do them 3 months before you start trying (so again, we have time to optimise things) IF your bloods are already up to date and you have no current symptoms we need to be concerned about.

As mentioned in the above section, prior to pregnancy, you’ll need either 400mcg or 5mg (12.5 x ) of folic acid at least 1 month before you start trying, and we can sort that out for you, as well as what to change to (if needed) once you are pregnant.

What will a pre pregnancy consult look like?

As well as checking your for what pre pregnancy supplement you will need, you will also have your height, weight and blood pressure checked.

We will review all of your past medical history, as well as whether there is any significant family history we need to know about, or could impact your pregnancy.

We’ll discuss cutting down, or stopping certain things in pregnancy, like alcohol, and how to prepare yourself to ensure we can set you up for the best pregnancy we can.

Pre screening can be offered to you (to check if you’re a carrier of genetic diseases – prepair carrier screening)

Prepair Genetic Carrier Screening

We will also have a chat about getting off contraception, getting to know your cycles, when you will likely ovulate and how long you should be trying, before you come back in to be seen.

What if I’m on the fence regarding pregnancy?

If you’re on the fence regarding pregnancy, and even whether or not you want children, I still recommend coming in for a chat. A lot of people might want to work on their careers right now, or are unsure about whether now is the right time for them. For those women, we can certainly discuss other options like egg timer testing (to check your egg reserve) and can even discuss options like egg freezing. I’d much rather you come in for a chat, if you have any questions.

What if I’m single, or same sex relationship?

I’m going to sound like a broken record but COME ON IN! If you want to have a baby, or even think you might want to, then please, come in for a chat. There are so many options out there, and I (and hopefully any GP) would be keen to discuss these all with you.

Summary

So as you can see, there’s a lot to go through and discuss. Again, if you find yourself pregnant, then just come on in. Don’t feel guilty if you skipped the whole planning phase. Life happens, but if you’re a planner like me, and you’re thinking of trying for a baby, or just want to talk about the ‘what ifs’, then head on in, to see your friendly GP.