Preconception Counseling
The Women's Group recommends preconception counseling for any woman in Pensacola, Florida, who hopes to become pregnant in the near future. Preconception counseling helps you take the right steps toward optimal health, giving you and your future pregnancy the best possible foundation.
What's preconception counseling?
Preconception counseling is a visit with your doctor when you're planning to become pregnant in the future, whether that's in the next few months or further down the road. During this visit, your doctor reviews your health history, discusses any medical conditions that could affect a pregnancy, and talks through lifestyle factors like nutrition, exercise, and medications. The goal is to help you enter pregnancy as healthy as possible and to identify and address any risk factors ahead of time, giving you and your future baby the best possible start.
Is preconception counseling necessary?
Some women get pregnant without visiting the doctor first. However, scheduling a preconception counseling visit increases the chances of a healthy pregnancy and delivery. During this visit, you'll discuss steps you can take to support a healthy pregnancy, such as cutting back on caffeine and starting a prenatal vitamin.
Preconception counseling is also the ideal time for genetic carrier screening, a simple blood or saliva test that checks whether you (and your partner, if applicable) carry genes for certain inherited conditions, such as cystic fibrosis or spinal muscular atrophy. Since most carriers are healthy and have no family history of these conditions, screening before pregnancy gives you the most time and the widest range of options if any risks are identified.
Our doctors also educate you on the best conception strategies to help you get pregnant more easily, and they'll point out or investigate any risk factors for pregnancy complications before you conceive.
When should patients schedule preconception counseling visits at The Women's Group?
We recommend scheduling a preconception counseling visit at least three months before you begin trying to conceive. This gives you and your doctor enough time to review your health history, complete any recommended screenings, such as genetic carrier screening, and make any lifestyle adjustments that can help support a healthy pregnancy.
When should women begin taking prenatal vitamins?
Ideally, women should begin taking a prenatal vitamin at least three months before they start trying to conceive. This timing matters because the neural tube, which develops into the baby's brain and spinal cord, closes within the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she's pregnant. Prenatal vitamins contain folic acid, along with other important nutrients like iron and vitamin D, that support this early development. Women should continue taking prenatal vitamins throughout pregnancy to support their own health and their baby's growth.
When should pregnant women schedule their first prenatal visit?
After a woman becomes pregnant, she should schedule her first prenatal visit as soon as possible. The visit itself is typically scheduled between 6 and 9 weeks from the first day of her last period. At this visit, our team at The Women's Group will review your health history, discuss what to expect throughout your pregnancy, and schedule your subsequent appointments.
When should women seek treatment for infertility?
If you've been trying to conceive for a year without success, or if you've experienced recurrent miscarriages, it may be a good time to schedule an appointment to explore what might be going on. If you're over 35, we generally recommend reaching out a bit sooner, around the six-month mark, since fertility naturally changes with age. Whatever your situation, our team at The Women's Group is here to help. Call or schedule your appointment online whenever you're ready.
Have a question about a service?
Our team would be happy to assist you. Call us or request an appointment and we’ll guide you from there.