Not all pregnancies can be planned. Both human and technological errors occur with all methods of family planning. Planning, however, has definite benefits, healthy pregnancies are most likely to occur in healthy women. Effective methods of contraception should be used until you know you want to get pregnant.Once you make the decision that you are ready for children, or more children, the best advice is to continue using birth control until you have had a pre pregnancy health care visit.Although many forward-thinking doctors and midwives have informally provided preconception care to women for decades, the concept that at this is a distinct type of care visit has only recently gained wide acceptance. In 1989, an Expert Panel on the Content of Prenatal Care,convened by the Public Health Service of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, advocated that pregnancy care begin in preconception period.

If you are planning to become pregnant within a year, or are actively trying to get pregnant, and have not discussed your plans with your gynecologist, midwife or nurse practitioner, you should call for an appointment. Screening tests that can pick up potential problems for a pregnancy were probably not conducted at your routine annual gynecologic visit, nor were you likely to have been given information regarding self-help measures and practices to aid in preventing birth defects and other problems that can occur in pregnancy. These measures can be most important even before you know you are pregnant.

A few birth control methods, such as Norplant or the IUD, require a health care visit for removal. This would be a good time to have preconception care. If you use Depo-Provera, you can combine a preconception visit with your last shot.

Nutrition

Women who are either overweight or underweight should use this planing time to try to achieve a healthful weight. Women who are underweight at the start of pregnancy tend to have smaller babies, even if they gain as much weight during pregnancy as somebody who starts her pregnancy at a normal weight for height. Optimal weight should be achieved :through a well-balanced diet. . If you have ill eating disorder, such as anorexia, bulimia, or pica (eating nonfood substances), this is the time to seek help from therapists and care providers skilled in these areas and to consider joining a support group.

Little is known about whether the father’s nutrition can affect the developing fetus. It is known, however, that four nutrients are essential in making sperm: vitamins A and E, linoleic acid (a type of fatty acid), and zinc. In general, a well-balanced diet will supply these nutrients.

A Final Word

Remember, becoming pregnant should be pleasurable. With a little advance planning, it also can be a time for you and your partner optimize your health and health care. A simple preconceptionist combined with good nutrition, vitamin supplementation, and common-sense avoidance of exposures will provide an excellent start to a healthful pregnancy.