Things to Discuss With Your Gynecologist Before Pregnancy

People do not particularly think about visiting a gynecologist before they get pregnant – aren’t gynecologists the doctors who take care of pregnancy and childbirth only? Well, truth is, gynecologists are very important to doctors for the reproductive health of women in society, and females of the reproductive age group should definitely visit one whether or not they are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. However, when you are thinking about pregnancy, it is all the more important to visit a gynecologist to improve your chances of getting pregnant and ensure a healthy pregnancy. It’s valid to think of questions to ask ob/gyn before pregnancy and you must clear all your doubts around chances to get pregnant before you try for a pregnancy. 

Visiting a gynecologist before pregnancy, known as “Pre-conception Counselling” prevents unplanned pregnancies and ensures that maternal and child health is prioritized along with increasing chances of getting pregnant. Maternal undernutrition and anemia increase the risk of maternal mortality and accounts for at least 20% of maternal mortality worldwide. In the year 2010, the number of babies who died due to neonatal tetanus was 58,000. 

The potential benefits of pre-conception counseling include – 

1.    Reduced rates of Maternal and Child Mortality 

2.    Prevention of unplanned pregnancies 

3.    Reduced risk of complications that arise with pregnancy and delivery

4.    Prevention of stillbirths, pre-term birth, low-weight birth, and birth defects. 

5.    Prevention of neonatal infections. 

6.    Prevention of underweight or stuntedness in children

7.    Prevention of Vertical transmission (From mother to child) Sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. 

8.    Lowered risk of some childhood cancers 

9.    Prevention of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. 

If you are aware about the questions to ask ob/gyn, you can improve your chances of getting pregnant by following the right advice. 

A Gynecologist could assess your Nutritional Habits 

Pregnancy is a very transforming time for a person’s health, and to endure something so magnificent it is important that you are healthy to avoid any pregnancy-related complication. Some people might be deficient in certain nutrients that are important for a baby’s development, and a gynecologist can prescribe supplements to increase the consumption of these important nutrients to improve your chances of getting pregnant. Among questions to ask ob/gyn before pregnancy, nutrition-related questions are very important.  

A gynecologist could help your nutritional habits in the following ways –

·         Screening for diseases such as anemia and diabetes 

·         Educating about nutritional status and suggesting ways to eat a more nutritionally dense diet. 

·         Helping people make dietary modifications such as the iodization of salt in the diet. 

·         Promoting habits such as exercise 

·         Counseling and medications to help people stop tobacco use. The patient can be made aware of the effects of tobacco on the mother and the baby as well as the negative effect of tobacco use and how it affects the chances of getting pregnant.

A Gynecologist can perform Genetic Screening 

·         The gynecologist can identify the risks of acquiring diseases that can be transmitted genetically and the patient can be made aware of them

·         The patient can be made aware of the diseases that they might be a carrier for and how to prevent the transmission of the disease to the baby if possible. Genetic screening-related questions must form a part of the questions to ask ob/gyn before pregnancy. 

·         Populations can be identified and mass screening be done in order to prevent transmission of genetic conditions from the mother to the baby. 

·         Treatment for the genetic diseases can be provided as well as informing the patient about how to manage the condition if it arises in the baby. 

A Gynecologist can provide Environmental Health Counselling 

·         Women can be advised about which chemicals to avoid and how to minimize exposure to environmental hazards and how it can affect the chances of getting pregnant. When thinking about questions to ask your gyno before getting pregnant, definitely consider the asking if you are being exposed to any chemical hazard. When you consider questions to ask your ob/gyn, this one you should definitely ask. 

·         The impact of environmental exposures to chemicals, radiation, pesticides, metals like lead, and methyl mercury in fish can be explained to the mothers. The benefits of using safer fuels for cooking can also be explained to the mother to protect herself and her baby from any environmental hazard-related health condition. 

A Gynecologist can provide Fertility Awareness and Reduce stigmatization of Infertility 

·         A gynecologist can help provide information about infertility causes and how to naturally improve fertility. A gynecologist can also impart knowledge about what everyday habits may be affecting a person’s ability to conceive. Women can also be made aware of how to naturally improve fertility in women. 

·         Screening people who have been having problems with conceiving for past STIs and other conditions that might be associated with Infertility.

·         Making people aware of the treatment options available for infertility treatments including IUI and IVF that might improve their chances of getting pregnant. 

·         Providing counseling to people who have been diagnosed with infertility. 

A Gynecologist can make people aware of the risks of pregnancy in young girls 

·         Gynecologists can help change the narrative around child marriage by increasing awareness of the dangers of pregnancy in underage women and its impact on maternal and child health. 

·         Women and men can be made aware of the contraceptives available and how to use them to reduce their chances of getting pregnant. 

·         Boys and Men can be educated about how to approach sex and respect the woman. Men must be educated about why coercion is not acceptable and the woman’s decision regarding sexual activity be respected. 

·         Community outreach programs and programs in schools can be started where the young people are made aware of safe sex practices, contraceptives, and Sexually Transmitted Infections prevention. 

A Gynecologist can generate awareness about Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV 

·         A Gynecologist can generate awareness at the individual levels, community levels, and school levels about STIs and HIV prevention. The availability of contraceptives that prevent unplanned pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted infections can be told to the people so that they can engage in safer sexual practices. 

·         Gynecologists can make people aware of the treatment options for Sexually transmitted Infections. 

·         HIV Counselling can be provided to the patient and information about anti-retroviral therapy can be given. 

·         The Patient can be made aware of how to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. 

A Gynecologist can increase awareness of Vaccines for Maternal and Child Health 

·         A Gynecologist can increase the awareness about the vaccinations required by the mother to improve maternal and child health.

·         Awareness about vaccination against Rubella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Hepatitis B can be increased by a Gynecologist. 

Take Away 

As you would have inferred from the article, gynecologists have a much wider role than ensuring a pregnancy and healthy delivery. They can potentially change how the health of women is considered in society and take initiatives to prioritize it. A woman’s health often determines her family’s health, hence pre-conception counseling is something that everyone should consider before planning for a baby to improve their chances of getting pregnant. 

If you’re wondering how to choose the right gynecologist for you, IVF junction has partnered with Gynecologists maintaining stringent standards of practice and prioritizing their patients and can help you with improving your chances of getting pregnant. If you have any other questions related to your fertility, Infertility treatments, IUI, IVF Cost, and Reproductive health, feel free to join the IVF Junction Support Forum. YOU are the priority here at IVF  Junction and we ensure you only get the most credible fact-checked health information and top-quality care. 

 

Source: https://ivfjunction.com/blog/things-to-discuss-with-your-gyne-before-pregnancy/