In today’s times, with a rapidly modernising world, new opportunities are available for couples. This has been very rewarding and opened up doors to new experiences for people living in every part of the world. On the flip side, any solution to a problem becomes the new problem. In this new era of career orientedness, self awareness and exploring life, conceiving a child has been becoming more and more delayed. Late marriages, delay in starting family, lifestyle diseases, insufficient time and attention to focus on health and procreation have started showing up. Often people hesitate to take medical input in the fear of the stigma attached to being labeled as ‘infertile’. While it is being spoken about in the media, at least in most parts of India it’s still not something addressed as a family as a medical issue. Many couples keep quiet about it till it’s too late.
On access to break the dilemma for couples is Preconception counselling. It is the health promotion and education that a couple can get for themself before going ahead with getting pregnant. It generally includes risk assessment for potential complications during pregnancy, as well as the changes that you can make to diminish your risk factors, such as increasing folic acid intake, cessation of harmful habits such as smoking and drinking and management of medications that could compromise your baby’s development.
Couples start preconceptional counselling after six months to one year of failed trial to get pregnant. Due to the trend of late marriages, there are many complications allied with conception, however if you seek advice earlier than later, most complications can be avoided with the right approach.
Preconceptional counselling is necessary for every couple as the counselling session with your perceptive gynaecologist will help the couple to know and prepare for healthy pregnancy. While many centres will start treatment in form of ovulation stimulation medically, IVF, IUI etc but not sufficient attention is given on the dynamics of the marriage, readiness for having a family, emotional aspects of the stress and strain of daily life, emotional and sexual intimacy related issues. Preconceptional counselling is not just dealing with the physical aspects. In fact, many times, the couple is healthy in most ways. It’s the emotional, social, economic, psychological aspects also which need to be tended to. Preconceptional counselling covers all those aspects at our centres.
We recommend preconceptional counselling 3-6 months before u begin to try to conceive.
Preconception screening helps to tackle and rule out:
- Existing or emerging illness or diseases which might have gone undetected.
- Existing risks to the mother to be during pregnancy.
- Existing risks to the baby during pregnancy.
During the preconception screening, both partners are tested for :
- Infectious diseases.
- HIV, VDRL, HBsAg (Hepatitis B), HCV (Hepatitis C)
- Rubella IgM & IgG
- Routine blood studies like CBP to rule out anaemia, blood grouping and Rh typing.
- pelvic ultrasound scan to evaluate exact status of uterus & ovary and vaginal examinations for any infections.
Lifestyle changes can prepare you for this life enhancing event:
- Maintain a healthy weight – both parents should maintain BMI < 25 kg/cm2.
- Get active – Exercise plays a significant role in how healthy you are – Everyday 30mins of moderate exercise.
- Eat a healthy diet and stop excessive intake of caffeine.
- Manage stress with Exercise, yoga and meditation.
- Quit smoking and tobacco.
- Say ‘NO’ to alcohol.
- Guard against Radiation exposure
- communicate with each other and family rather than trying to manage alone
