Health Topics
Preconception Care
Preconception care is an important part of the pregnancy planning process, especially for women and men of reproductive age. Making smart choices regarding your health and behavior prior to conception can positively impact both the outcome of your overall health and the health of your baby.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “preconception care is a set of interventions that identify and modify biomedical, behavioral, and social risks to a woman’s health and future pregnancies.” Preconception health care is individualized for each couple and involves analyzing factors that might affect a fetus or infant (including a woman’s current health, prescribed drugs, and alcohol intake).
Good preconception care includes both prevention and management – reducing risks and maintaining active, ongoing care. It includes managing current health conditions and emphasizing health issues that require action before conception or very early in pregnancy. The key to good preconception health, according to the CDC, is to combine the best medical care, healthy behaviors, strong support, and safe environments at home and at work.
Couples experiencing difficulty in either achieving a pregnancy or maintaining a viable gestation are often advised to obtain preconception counseling. Such counseling can often provide the key information needed to establish a diagnosis and offer clinical and educational insights and recommendations on improving health during the preconception period.
For additional resources on preconception health, visit:
| Terms Of Use Privacy Statement | |||
 |
|||