A baby can bring so much joy in a couple who are expecting. Deciding whether you want a baby is an important decision to make. With this, you might want to consider going to a doctor and ask certain pregnancy tips and advice on how to have a successful pregnancy. Whether you are planning to have a baby soon in the future or you and your partner think you are now ready to have an addition to your little family, you can never go wrong with a doctor's visit.
According to Mary Jane Minkin, M.D and a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale University of Medicine, it is recommended for couples who are planning to have a baby to visit a healthcare provider months prior when they want to have a baby. If you have certain pre-existing health and medical conditions, it should be done several months prior to when you plan to conceive.
During the doctor visit, you might want to take down some questions. Your doctor will first assess you and your partner. You'll be asked about your health history from your family down to what conditions you have, and will evaluate you all throughout if you're ready to conceive a baby. Make the most out of the doctor visit and ask as many questions as you can about how to conceive a baby and what tips and advice you should take to have a successful pregnancy.
If you're confused about what questions to ask when you're at your appointment with the doctor, here are six things you would want to ask and be answered by your doctors.
1. How long will it exactly take me to get pregnant?
Keep in mind that your doctor is no fortune teller nor someone who can foresee the future. The only thing your doctor can do is ask questions about your health history and current health condition and from that, he can tell how long will you be expecting to get pregnant. Always remember that it may be possible that a doctor's advised time frame will also go the other way around. Other couples will get pregnant after the first try that they do after their doctor's appointment, and other couples won't conceive even after a few weeks, months, or years. Again, this will depend on your health condition and the results of the doctor's evaluation.
2. Will my health condition affect the process of getting pregnant?
According to doctors and experts, some medical conditions of a person may affect the process of getting pregnant. Whether it's the woman or the man who has a health condition, it can possibly affect one's fertility. However, it will depend on how severe the condition is. For women, if they have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, thyroid disorders, and STDs, your fertility will be affected one way or another. For this, it is best to consider what your doctor advises.
3. Do I need to take vitamins and supplements to get pregnant?
For women who want to conceive, they need to take folic acid supplements between three to six months prior to when they are planning to conceive. Folic acid is known to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and some birth defects for the pregnancy process. You might also need to take prenatal vitamins if you lack certain body nutrients.
4. Are vaccinations needed?
This is one of the things you need to make sure about with your doctor. If you're already pregnant and you get sick, it might be harmful to the developing baby. It is important for pregnant moms and women who are trying to conceive to have up-to-date vaccines from serious illnesses.
5. Why am I having a hard time conceiving?
If you and your partner have been trying to conceive for years, this is an important question that you should ask your doctor. It could be your age that could be affecting your fertility. Or it could also be a health condition that has been around for a while. Your doctor can assess what went wrong in your conceiving ways and process and can definitely help you through it.
6. Does a second opinion from another doctor advisable?
Keep in mind that doctors who are gynecologists are not experts in obstetrics. Obstetrics is the medical field of pregnancy and childbirth. If you want to get a second opinion from a different doctor, ask the first doctor you consulted to if it's necessary.
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