Every objective or goal in life comes with a proper vision. And foresightedness is essential to drive your goals towards fulfillment. You may compare foresightedness with the activities of the pre-crime officers in the movie Minority Report. They used to get informed about a future crime beforehand which allowed them to take proper measures to prevent such a situation. This may be a science fiction, but the concept may be applied to our real lives as well. A woman, who is planning to conceive, should take this anticipatory approach to prevent future complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. In this case, preconception medical tests can serve as the "Pre-Crime Officers".
Preconception medical care and examinations encourage optimal health for the future mother and father at the time of conception. They serve to prepare women physically and mentally for pregnancy. There are numerous benefits to the use of preconception exams. The exams are designed to allow the woman's doctor to evaluate her overall health, identify serious potential and existent problems, provide the necessary treatment before conception and make various suggestions as to how her lifestyle should change in order to prepare her body for pregnancy. The exam also allows the woman's physician to make sure that she is immune to certain infections such as rubella. The examinations will also allow the doctor to get any chronic long-term medical condition under control so as to safeguard the baby's health from it.
Common Preconception Medical Tests
The doctor may ask you to undergo the following tests if you are planning to get pregnant. These tests are intended to ensure a trouble free term and the delivery of a healthy baby.
- Detailed Medical History: The doctor will ask about your health and lifestyle; about your eating and exercise habits and about any possible exposure to environmental hazards (such as lead) at home or at work both for yourself and your partner and about pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, lupus, high blood pressure or depression. It's also important to let the doctor know about any genetic problems such as Down's syndrome or cystic fibrosis that run in your family. Inform your doctor about the kind of birth control that you have been using and whether you have had any menstruation problems, miscarriages, abortions or ectopic pregnancies in the past.
- Pelvic Examination: A standard pelvic exam will let your doctor know about the condition of your reproductive parts (uterus, ovaries and cervix). If you have an infection or a condition such as fibroids or ovarian cysts, then you can start treating the problem now and increase your odds of a healthy pregnancy.
- Pap Smear: A Pap smear is a part of a standard pelvic exam and is usually done twice a year or as needed. It checks for any potential cervical abnormalities and other diseases.
- Urine Analysis: It is needed to detect urinary tract infection (UTI) and diabetes. UTIs have been associated with miscarriage, low-birth weight and premature labor.
- Blood Test: It is done to check for anemia or any other abnormalities and to determine blood type. If your doctor feels that your medical history and ethnic background warrant further testing, then you may be tested for thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia and Tay-Sachs disease. A blood test will also determine if you've been vaccinated against rubella. This vaccination is a must before pregnancy.
- Blood Pressure Checkup: Pregnant women with high blood pressure (hypertension) are more likely to develop preeclampsia and have placental problems. So it's important to control high blood pressure before conception
- Screening Tests: You may be asked to undergo screening tests for Hepatitis B, syphilis, Chlamydia and HIV/AIDS before becoming pregnant. Being screened and treated before conception can significantly increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
- Immunization Records: Many preventable infections can cause miscarriage or birth defects. Vaccination can be considered to stay protected against rubella, chicken pox, tetanus and hepatitis B. These diseases can cause problems for the unborn baby.
- Thyroid Function Test: An under-active thyroid can lead to miscarriage, infertility or problems in fetal development.
- Checkups for Parasitic Disease: Parasitic diseases such as toxoplasmosis are relatively harmless in adults but can be dangerous to newborns and a developing baby. Toxoplasmosis is most often transmitted through cat feces or undercooked meat. In this case you will need to undergo a simple blood test.
- Advices on Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) Intake: Neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, can be prevented by taking a folic acid supplement and by making sure that your diet contains foods rich in folates. The doctor will advise how much folic acid is required every day. Most women are advised to take around 400 micrograms (mcg) folic acid supplement while they are trying to conceive and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If you have a family history of neural tube defects or a chronic health condition, such as epilepsy, you may need to take a higher daily dose of 5 milligrams (mg).
- Genetic Testing and Counseling: You may be referred to a genetic counselor if you are subjected to one or more conditions like:
- Partner (father) has turned 40
- The mother is 35 years old or above
- Partners are of African-American or Ashkenazi Jew descent. These groups are predisposed to carrying sickle-cell anemia and Tay-Sachs disease respectively.
- Prior delivery of a child with a birth defect.
- A partner has a birth defect.
- A history of recurrent miscarriages.
- A partner has family histories of Down syndrome, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, epilepsy, dwarfism, cystic fibrosis, blindness, deafness and congenital heart defects.
- Partners are related or a case of consanguineous marriage (or cousin marriage) which can lead to genetic disorders.
Every woman wants a safe journey to motherhood. It is the expectation of every woman to experience the birth of a healthy baby. The preconception medical tests intend to serve both these purposes. And it is the first step to ensure a successful pregnancy.
