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You can discuss with your gynaecologist about pregnancy and maternity anytime you want to. Perhaps, the idea of having a baby already crosses your mind and would want to have a basic physical check-up first. Maybe you have been trying to conceive for a year now and are concern of fertility issues, or you have not tried yet and just concern about fertility. Perhaps, you’re not planning to get pregnant anytime soon, but have concerns about birth control methods to your future fertility.

These are just some of the reasons to speak with your gynae. A visit to your healthcare provider before pregnancy is an important preliminary step to ensure healthy pregnancy. Your doctor is there to help you and is ready to discuss with you everything about reproductive topics—even the most embarrassing ones.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when getting a pre-pregnancy check-up.

1. Inform Ahead of Time That You Want a Fertility Consultation

Family planning and pregnancy-related topics needs enough time to discuss. When you call for an appointment, mention to the receptionist that you want to a fertility consultation. You may think it is okay to sneak in a pre-pregnancy discussion during a regular pap smear. While some doctors don’t mind answering a question or two, most of them don’t have enough time for lengthy discussions.

And also, you would not want to talk basically about anything when you’re uncomfortably lying down on a table in a half-open gown with no underwear underneath. Politely request to talk about your concerns about conception issues in your doctor’s office; you’d be more comfortable that way.

2. Bring Your Partner

Ideally, both you and your partner should meet your doctor. Even though you have found the doctor from Thomson’s http://www.thomsonmedical.com/thomson-womens-clinics-2/ at Novena in Singapore, your doctor may have questions about your husband’s health and your husband may have some concerns he wants to raise to your doctor.

If your partner can’t be with you, ask him if he has question he wants to ask. You might also want inform him to keep his phone with him at all times should you call him for any medical questions your doctor may ask that you can’t answer.

3. Ask About Lifestyle Changes and Taking Supplements

Vitamin supplements are not only for pregnant women. Supplements like folic acid are better taken before you even start trying to get pregnant. How much you should take every day is a matter you have to discuss with your healthcare provider and may also depend on your medical history. Most Singapore women can get away with regular multivitamin.

Lifestyle change is also an important point to talk with your gynaecologist. Is it okay to consume a glass of wine with dinner when trying to get pregnant? What about caffeine, do you have to limit your coffee intake or eradicate it entirely and have fruit juices instead? And how much weight you have to gain or lose to be able to reach the ideal weight for pregnancy? These questions are just some of the good ones to bring up to your gynae.

4. Discuss About Stopping Your Birth Control

If you’re on a birth control and plans to stop using such, this is the best time to discuss about it. Ask your healthcare provider how to stop using it and how much time to expect before it’s possible for you to conceive. If you have IUD, discuss with your doctor about removing it.

Also, ask when to expect your fertility to return, and if there are any symptoms you need to watch out for.

5. List Down All the Medications You and Your Husband Are currently Taking

Some medications aren’t considered safe during pregnancy. In some cases, you may need to stop taking them before pregnancy, while others are still allowed to be taken until you get pregnant. Your doctor may also have to adjust dosage or switch to a different medication to make it safer for you.

There are also medications that can affect the fertility of both men and women. This is another reason to inform your gynae of all the medications you’re taking, even medications for allergy—which can sometime interfere with conception.

However, do not stop taking any medication without consulting your doctor. Some prescribed drugs, such as antidepressants, need to be gradually weaned off.

6. Know the Dates of Your Last Six Periods

Especially if you have irregular cycles, be sure to remember the dates of your last six periods. Occasional irregular cycles isn’t something to be alarmed of, but consistent off cycles can mean something else.

If you’re keeping a fertility calendar, bring this to your healthcare provider, too. Fertility charts are great tools to detect potential problems with the luteal phase, something that isn’t very clear when looking at the cycle length alone.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Tested

If you have been trying to conceive for more than a year, even if you show no signs of infertility, it’s best to head to the hospital for a basic fertility test. If you’re over 35 years of age and have been trying for six months, you also have to see a doctor.

Most Singapore doctors will start testing their patient right away or refer them to a fertility specialist, though not all doctors do that. Some healthcare providers may conclude that you’re still too young for infertility and would suggest trying longer than a year. Some would say that it’s because of your weight, and may suggest you to lose or gain weight before trying again; and only by then, if you still don’t get pregnant, you’ll get tested.

The problem with delaying the tests is that some infertility cases worsen with time. As for the weight, you can always decide to lose or gain weight after you have been tested. There’s really no good reason to delay the fertility test, so insist on getting one if you think you need it.

Every woman is different. While some get pregnant right away, in just one try, others may have to try harder and for a much longer time to conceive. However, this doesn’t mean that those who can’t easily conceive have fertility problems. Only an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist can tell whether or not you need a treatment and what type of treatment is best for your case.