15/06/2024
Prepregnancy Care and Counseling: Prepregnancy care is an important time during the women’s health continuum that can reduce maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. It is an opportunity prior to conception to optimize health, identify and modify risk factors, and provide education about considerations and behaviors that could affect a future pregnancy. Preconception counseling is becoming ever more important as more women are diagnosed with chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, autoimmune diseases, and psychiatric illness. Preconception counseling should be implemented into the routine medical care of all reproductive-aged women. Any encounter with nonpregnant women with reproductive potential is an opportunity to improve reproductive health and impact future obstetric outcomes.A thorough review of medical, surgical, psychiatric, gynecologic, and obstetric health can expose potential complications in a planned pregnancy or factors contributing to infertility. A full obstetric history should be taken during prepregnancy care and reviewed at the initial prenatal visit. Family planning and pregnancy spacing needs should be discussed, and women should be advised about the risks of interpregnancy intervals shorter than 6 months. Prior pregnancy complications should be discussed as well as the risk of recurrence and possible interventions that might decrease that risk.Prepregnancy care should include a review of age-appropriate cancer screening. If there is a history of inconsistent or outdated testing, this evaluation should be completed. Discussion about appropriate pregnancy timing should be considered to avoid delayed cancer diagnosis or treatment.Consultation with maternal-fetal medicine or reproductive endocrinology and infertility may be considered in women with a history of poor obstetric outcomes or chronic medical conditions. Wish you good health.
