Pre-conception counseling

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Preconception counseling (also called preconceptual counseling) is an informative discussion with a healthcare professional (generally a physician or advanced practice provider) by an individual with or without support people who is interested in a future pregnancy. The goal of preconception care is to educate people on the importance of health optimization prior to pregnancy to reduce the risk for pregnancy complications and promote a healthy intrauterine environment for normal fetal growth and development. It generally includes a preconception risk assessment for any potential complications of pregnancy as well as modifications of risk factors, such as increasing folic acid intake to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and counseling on smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, and medications that may compromise fetal development.^[1] Physicians, midwives and baby experts recommend that an individual should visit them as soon as a person is contemplating having a child, and optimally at least 3 to 6 months before actual attempts are made to conceive.^[2] This time frame allows a woman to better prepare her body for successful conception (fertilization) and pregnancy, and allows her to reduce any health risks which are within her control. Agencies such as the March of Dimes^[3] have developed screening tools that healthcare providers can use with their patients. In addition, obstetricians or midwives (see Obstetrics, Midwifery, General Practitioner) have developed comprehensive check-lists and assessments for the woman who is planning to become pregnant.

In one sense, pre-conception counseling and assessment can be compared to a well-baby visit in which a baby is screened for normal health, normal development, with the benefit of identifying emerging problems that may have gone unnoticed in an infant. For a woman, the Pre-Conception Counseling Assessment and Screening is intended to assess normal health of a child-bearing woman, while at the same time identifying:

• Existing or emerging illness or disease which may have gone undetected before, and
• Existing risks for the woman who may become pregnant, and
• Existing risks which may affect a fetus if the woman does become pregnant.