February 23rd, 2009

Know the Facts: Preconception

First, an apology. In my last column, I promised that this would be a weekly series to be published on Mondays. Unfortunately, I have been very busy and writing this column weekly has been very difficult. I will definitely be writing once a week from now on, so please forgive me.

This month’s topic is Preconception 101. When my husband and I decided that we want to give pregnancy another shot, I began preparing my body before I was actually pregnant. There is a lot of information available about the myths regarding preconception health. In fact, before you get pregnant, you should visit your doctor to discuss any medications that you may be taking, finding the best multivitamin with Folic Acid, identify any heath risk that you may be facing, and ensuring that you are generally healthy before you conceive. In addition, it is always necessary to clear up any misconceptions that you may have about preconception and conception.

Once you have done all of that, and you begin trying to conceive, remember that it may not happen right away. Many women become worried when they don’t conceive in their  preset time-frame. However, unless you are under 35 and have been trying for at least a year without success, it is probably unlikely that you have fertility issues. Knowing when to seek fertility treatment may save you a lot of unnecessary stress (which, by the way, is not healthy for women trying to get pregnant).

There are things to aide you in conceiving. Knowing approximately when you will ovulate is also a great way to help conceive. My cycle was pretty regular so my husband and I used The Ovulation Calendar* to help map my schedule so we knew when I was likely to be the most fertile. Granted, we did not need to do this- I am just a geek.

Knowing the facts is a must when you are trying to get pregnant. Be sure to talk to you doctir honestly about your concerns. And remember, the only bad question is an unasked question!

*This product is my own recommendation and in no way endorsed by the March of Dimes.