Introduction - What is preconceptional counselling ? As soon as you start thinking about having a baby, a visit to your doctor at least 3 to 6 months prior to planning a pregnancy is known as preconceptional counselling.
Details of counselling:
When a couple visits for preconceptional counselling a detailed history and examination is done. The goal is to identify factors which can adversely affect you or your baby during the course of pregnancy. A treatment plan can be worked upon subsequently.
The one major obstacle is that most of the pregnancies are unplanned and most women take it for granted. So, ideally it should be actually offered to all women of child-bearing age regardless of intent to become pregnant.
It is a golden opportunity to ask your doctor all the queries you have about pregnancy. All doubts regarding any pregnancy mishap in the family should be discussed. You should also discuss about reasons / complications associated with preterm birth, repeated pregnancy losses, intra uterine death and ectopic pregnancy because many of these are preventable. Many unfortunate events can be prevented by treating them before conception. If the mother is over 35 years of age, there is a risk of Down's syndrome in the baby which can be diagnosed by some advanced tests. Also ultrasounds history of birth defect, mental retardation, blood clotting disorders, congenital blindness in the family and consanguineous marriages warrant genetic counselling.
Some important things you can do for preconceptional health are:
Take 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid every day. It lowers your risk of birth defects of the brain and spine.
Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. Avoid contact with toxic substances. Stay away from cat or rodent faeces.
If you have a medical condition, like anaemia, asthma, diabetes, oral health, obesity, epilepsy, thyroid disease, hypertension, epilepsy, tuberculosis or kidney diseases, be sure it is under control.
Author:
DR APRAJITA SINGH, MD,DNB,MNAMS
OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY
ARE YOU ARMED AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER ?
In India, cervical cancer is the most common woman-related cancer, followed by breast cancer. About 122,844 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed annually (estimations for 2012). It mostly affects middle-aged women (between 40 and 55 years), especially those from the lower economic status who fail to carry out regular health check-ups.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and YOU
A typical case scenario commonly seen in our clinic is a young obese girl with intractable acne, irregular cycles, and increased facial hair. On ultrasound polycystic ovaries are seen, creating a lot of anxiety in her mind. But it is the most common endocrine disorder affecting 25 to 30% of young women. Approximately 75% of anovulatory women have polycystic ovaries.
