Prepregnancy Counseling

Successful pregnancies start with good planning. There are important steps you can take to help ensure a healthy baby. The experienced doctors at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies are here to help. We have many skilled obstetricians who can help you get off to the best start in preparing to have a baby. (If English is not your first language, when making an appointment, you may request a doctor who speaks Spanish or another language.)

Preconception counseling with your doctor should occur at least three months before you start trying to get pregnant. Your pregnancy planning visit should include a full physical examination, including a Pap smear and blood tests. The blood tests will check you for anemia and determine the need for certain immunizations.

Your doctor will want to discuss your health history and any medical conditions you currently have, such as diabetes, thyroid disease or high blood pressure. Your doctor will also review the following topics related to a healthy pregnancy:

• Achieving a healthy body weight
• Screening and treatment for infectious and sexually transmitted diseases
• Reviewing any medications you are taking that could affect your pregnancy
• Prenatal vitamins and other steps you can take to prevent certain birth defects
• Lifestyle habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol

You and your partner may also want to consider genetic counseling and testing prior to becoming pregnant. Based on each partner's family history, targeted tests can be performed to find out whether a couple is at risk for having a child with certain diseases or birth defects.

At Olando Health Winnie Palmer, you have a full, dedicated team of healthcare professionals to walk you through the best possible pregnancy and delivery, caring for the one-and-only you, every step of the way.