In this new ARC DocTalk video, Shao-Chun Rose Chang-Jackson, MD, FACOG, Obstetrics/Gynecology at ARC Center Street, discusses the importance of a pre-pregnancy exam. "When you decide that you want to have a baby, you should visit your ob/gyn before the pregnancy begins," says Dr. Chang-Jackson. "You want to make sure that you're in the best health possible."
Dr. Chang-Jackson emphasizes the need to visit an ob/gyn before getting pregnant to plan for one's health, address any gaps in care, and receive necessary vaccinations that cannot be administered during pregnancy. She also discusses recommendations your ob/gyn might make regarding preparing for pregnancy, such as monitoring caffeine and alcohol intake and how long it might take your body to normalize after stopping birth control.
Make an appointment today
Dr. Chang-Jackson is currently accepting new patients. If you would like to make an appointment, call ARC Center Street at 737-404-0347.
You can watch the full video here, or if you prefer, read the transcript below.
Transcript of video:
Pre-pregnancy exam
When you decide that you want to have a baby, you should visit your ob/gyn before the pregnancy begins. Because you want to be able to plan out your health ahead of time, fill in the gaps where you're missing parts of your care, such as vaccinations. They're important pre-pregnancy because you can't get them during the pregnancy. You also want to make sure that you're in the best health possible. At your pre-pregnancy exam, it's a way for your doctor to get to know you. They will ask you about your history. They will investigate if there's anything that they need to work on in preparation for the pregnancy. They'll also do lab work to make sure that all of your levels are in the normal range, and they also offer you genetic testing if this is something that you're interested in.
What your doctor may recommend
The recommendations that the doctor may make are based on what you guys discussed during the pre-pregnancy visit and what they identify on the exam also. For example, if you need to gain weight or even lose weight, they'll suggest ways to do so. And then also identify if there are any risk factors. And then you also want to make sure that, for fertility purposes, that you're decreasing your caffeine intake to about two cups of coffee a day. And then also for alcohol consumption, you really want to decrease the amount where it's at most one to two drinks a week. When we're referring to caffeine consumption and alcohol consumption pre-pregnancy, it actually is not as strict as compared to during the pregnancy because you're not quite pregnant yet. And so, we're referring to the effect on fertility; there's a little bit more leeway.
How long will it take for ovulation to normalize after stopping birth control?
The average time it takes a woman to conceive depends upon if she was on birth control.
- If you were on the birth control pill, it can take one to three months before your period to normalize. So basically, before ovulation comes back consistently.
- If you're on a long-acting reversible contraceptive method, such as Nexplanon, an IUD, it can actually take up to six months.
I tell patients not to be too concerned if it takes that long because it's just a while before the body normalizes. None of these contraceptive methods, though, interfere with fertility. It's important to understand that we still do encourage family planning and birth control when you're not quite ready.
When should I see my doctor?
If it takes more than six months when you're over the age of 35, then you should consider returning to see your ob/gyn so that they can initiate the evaluation of why you're having difficulty. For those under the age of 35, we recommend that you visit your ob/gyn after a full year of trying to conceive.
Planning for a family is a very exciting time in a woman's life. I'm honored to be on this journey with you.