"Am I ready for pregnancy ?     Do I carry any unknown risks if I get pregnant ?"
Talk to Us...Plan Your Pregnancy Well

All couple / women should seek a prepregnancy consultation to assess their individualized risks should they get pregnant. This would help your obstetrician plan the for care your baby and you will need during the course of a pregnancy.


All women carry general risks.

• 8% of pregnancies will miscarry with 1% of women going through 3 consequtive miscarriages.
• 1-2% of an ectopic pregnancy (life-threatening)
• 10% risk of hypertension. 1% will require admission of life-threatening conditions from pre-eclampsia
• 8% risk of preterm delivery with prematurity complications for the baby
• 30% will develop diabetes of pregnancy. A small proportion of these mothers will actually have pre-existing diabetes which can only be confirmed after delivery
• 1-2% will have a low placenta
• 4% will have a baby in the breech position at term (near due)
• 1% will develop significant birth trauma

The babies carry these risks in general:

• 5% will have an abnormal First Trimester Scan
• 5% will have an abnormal First Trimester Screening
• 4% of all babies born will have a significant birth defect (structural abnormality)
• 15% will have problems with growth while in the womb
• Very Very rarely (1 in 1000) babies heart stops beating in the womb

​MOST RISKS CAN BE DETECTED OR PREDICTED AND ANTICIPATED AND PREVENTED - SEE FT-SCAN

In addition to the risks above women / couple also have added individual risks. This risk would depend on personal, couple, social, environmental and familial factors.
The following factors would increase risks in specific ways:

• maternal age
• Maternal weight
• blood type
• Infection status (syphilis, hepatitis, HIV are routinely checked when pregnant. These can be checked prior to pregnancy)
• paternal age
• familial genetic conditions

• past experience of miscarriage
• past experience of premature birth
• past experience of growth restricted baby
• past experience of stillbirth (death of baby in the womb)
• past gynae operations

Women with medical conditions are a specific group that require quality prepregnancy consultation. Medical disorders may affect pregnancy in various ways. The treatments necessary for control of disease may affect pregnancy in various ways. Unnecessarily stopping treatment may be harmful to both the mother and her unborn baby.


ALL MOTHERS WITH MEDICAL DISORDERS SHOULD HAVE A PREPREGNANCY ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO PREGNANCY.
The following measures could be then taken based the given condition and situation:

• Delaying pregnancy for better control of disease
• Delaying pregnancy for minimizing drug dosing
• Stopping treatment prior to pregnancy
• Temporarily stopping treatment for the critical period for the baby in the first 3 months before resuming therapy
• Changing treatment to other baby-friendlier alternatives prior to pregnancy
• Women on certain medications essential for their condition should be on effective contraception to avoid potential fetal complications

Even if therapy/condition cannot be optimized prior to pregnancy it is important that women / couples attend a formal prepregnancy consultation to understand the risks at stake and have a realistic expectation of their individualized risks.

Even if therapy/condition cannot be optimized prior to pregnancy, the high risk obstetrician will be able to assess the mother and baby with individualized care knowing the possible complications that can occur.


PREMARITAL COUNSELLING


This is encouraged. Expert counselling will help couple go through a difficult situation/diagnosis/condition and eventually ensuring a safe pregnancy and healthy mother and baby.

Who should make an appointment for a prepregnancy consultation?

• ALL WOMEN WHO PLAN A PREGNANCY SHOULD HAVE ONE

      
   BUT ESPECIALLY

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Athma
• Allergies requiring treatment
• skin conditions
• thyroid disease
• epilepsy
• SLE
• Heart diseases
• Kidney disease
• Other medical conditions
• Age > 35
• BMI > 27
• Previous surgeries

• Previous pregnancy complications as described.
  

Ultimately it is always better to have a full check up prior to embarking on a pregnancy:

FULL PHYSICAL
+
Ultrasound
+
Pap Smear
+
Blood tests relevant to future pregnancy risks

KNOW YOUR RISKS, REDUCE RISKS
then
GET PREGNANT

HAVE ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED