Pre Pregnancy Test (Importance, Best Time, Types)

All ladies who want to have a baby should know that a pre pregnancy test is crucial for a better start. This test ensures your health and shows whether you are prepared for pregnancy. As a result, you should have a pre-pregnancy checkup before conception to prepare yourself for the pregnancy journey. There is pre pregnancy blood test for female that can help your doctor diagnose whether you are ready to get pregnant or not.

In this article on Hipregnancy, we will cover all you need to know about your pre-pregnancy test, who you should visit, which tests should be done for pre pregnancy preparation, when to have this test, etc. Don’t miss the following article if you want to have a healthy pregnancy without complications and give birth to a healthy, cute baby.

Is it important to have a pre-pregnancy test?

A pre-pregnancy checkup contains several tests that show whether you are ready to get pregnant or not. In other words, check-up before pregnancy helps you know more about your health and fertility. Your health care provider will be able to guide you better by the result of your pre-pregnancy test and manage your health conditions, such as unhealthy weight, fertility problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.

Hipregnancy believes all pregnant ladies should get this test, even those with a child who want another baby. In addition, those who have a history of premature birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, or gave birth to a baby with congenital disabilities must plan this test if they want to get pregnant for the second time. This test should be one part of your pre pregnancy planning.

Remember that you need to make an appointment with your doctor for this preconception test. It is better to select the best doctor you know for this pre pregnancy test and continue your pregnancy journey with the help of the same doctor.

Don’t forget to list getting pregnant questions before visiting your doctor; this can help you know what you should do to prepare yourself and your life to say hello to your baby.

Also Read: pre pregnancy questions

When to schedule a pre pregnancy test?

Overall, there is no specific time to schedule a pre pregnancy checkup; it may be a year before trying for a baby or just a few months before that. Ideally, it is better to get this test about one year before conception because your test may show some health issues that should be cured or controlled before getting pregnant and may last several months. As a result, if you want to have a baby, schedule a test as soon as possible.

We recommend you schedule an appointment with the provider who would be your doctor during pregnancy. Getting a pre-pregnancy test as soon as possible saves your doctor’s time to treat or control your health issues.

The time you give your doctor to test your health and fertility will have a positive effect on your pregnancy and the your baby’s health as well. Although it depends on you to choose pregnancy test time, we recommend you do it as early as possible to prepare your body and your life for welcoming a baby.

Also read: genetic testing before pregnancy

What provider should I see for a pre pregnancy checkup?

Now, you know that it is really important to get this test before trying for a baby, and also, you know the best time for a pre-pregnancy test for a female. Who should you see for getting this crucial test? Here is a list of providers you can see and make an appointment with before conception, during pregnancy, and even after that;

• A family practice doctor or a family physician
• An obstetrician or OB
• A maternal-fetal or MFM specialist
• A midwife
• A family nurse practitioner or FNP
• A woman’s health nurse practitioner or WHNP

You can select your provider from the above list based on your condition. For example, those with health conditions that may lead to pregnancy complications and may experience a high-risk pregnancy should see a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

We recommend you ask your family members, friends, coworkers, etc., about their provider before and during pregnancy; this is the easiest way to help you select the best doctor for a pre-pregnancy test for couples or females.

In addition, you can find your provider with the help of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Broad of Family Medicine, the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, etc. These help select your health care provider to get blood tests before pregnancy if you don’t know where to go and who you choose.

Also Read: folic acid foods before pregnancy

6 common types of pre pregnancy test

Booking a checkup with your doctor is vital before trying to conceive because it can ensure your body is ready to carry a baby. During the preconception appointment, you should talk about your and your partner’s family medical history, your medical history, and your lifestyle.

The information you share with your doctor helps your provider tell you what should be changed in your lifestyle, what should be added to your pre-pregnancy diet, and which tests may need to be done. Remember, pre pregnancy blood tests should be done as early as possible to know whether your body is ready to carry a baby.

Also Read: importance of nutrition before pregnancy

Do you know which test is best for pregnancy? Here is a list of common tests that you may need to get as a pre-pregnancy test before trying for a baby, including;

1- The STI test

Sexually transmitted infections can cause infertility or put your and baby’s health at risk during pregnancy. Doctors recommend getting STI test if you are at a high risk of these infections. The followings are common types of these infections that may be needed to test before conception;

• Chlamydia

This infection can lead to infertility due to its negative effect on the fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease. In addition, it can cause premature delivery, and if it passes to your baby, it can lead to an eye infection or pneumonia.

• Gonorrhea

It can damage the fallopian tubes and risk your ability to get pregnant, similar to chlamydia. Also, it can lead to premature birth, miscarriage, and premature rupture of membranes, and if this infection passes to your baby, it can cause issues like joint, eye, and life-threatening blood infections.

• HIV

This sexually transmitted infection can be passed to your baby during pregnancy, delivery, or even while breastfeeding. If your doctor diagnoses this infection at early stages and treats it, transmission risk decreases; this shows the importance of a pre-pregnancy test for females.

• Syphilis

Another dangerous infection is syphilis, which can lead to preterm labor and distress. Also, it can lead to health issues, if passed to your baby during pregnancy, such as hearing loss, brain damage, and vision loss. If diagnosed before 20 weeks, it won’t pass on to your baby and can be treated with antibiotics.

2- Genetic screening

Genetics is one of the most important factors that impacts the fertility and your baby’s health. You should talk to your doctor about your health conditions or your family history; this can help your doctor to know more about the certain health conditions that run in your family and diagnose what tests should be done on you.

3- A glucose test

Those ladies who may have diabetes or are overweight should get a glucose test before trying for a baby. If you don’t control your diabetes before conceiving, the risk of excessive fetal growth while pregnant, stillbirth, and giving birth to a baby with a very low blood sugar level increases.

As a result, a glucose test is a must for ladies with diabetes or overweight ones to prevent the risk of pregnancy complications and having a baby with health issues. A simple pre pregnancy blood test can show your blood sugar level, whether high, low, or normal.

4- A thyroid function test

Your body needs enough thyroid hormone levels for the normal development of the fetus. It means that babies whose moms suffer from hypothyroidism will suffer from growth restriction because there is not enough thyroid hormone for their development in their mother’s body.

In addition, ladies who have antibodies, which overstimulate their thyroid gland, can give birth to a baby with large and abnormal thyroid because these antibodies can cross the placenta and negatively impact the development of the fetus. Your doctor can check your thyroid function with a pre-pregnancy blood test.

5- A pap test

Hipregnancy recommends you do a pap test every two or three years to prevent issues, especially cancer. This medical test helps your doctor to check for cancer by collecting cells from your cervix.

If you are always up-to-date with this test, you don’t require getting this pre-pregnancy test, but if you didn’t do this test within the last two or three years, you should get this test before trying for a baby to make sure about your health. Consider a pop smear is a necessary test that falls into the category of a pre pregnancy test for females that needed to be done before trying for a baby.

6- A pelvic exam

Problems in pelvic organs, such as the cervix, vagina, ovaries, and uterus, should be treated before getting pregnant. If you treat pelvic organs related issues before conceiving, you can reduce and help your fertility problems and prevent pregnancy complications.

The mentioned tests are just several pre-pregnancy tests, and there are other types of this preconception tests for ladies. Physical exams, checking your weight, blood pressure, blood type, Rh factor, and vaccination are other parts of a pre pregnancy test package. Your doctor should diagnose which pre pregnancy screening tests are needed for you and use the results to guide you to have a healthy baby in the future.

Conclusion

Ladies should be aware that pregnancy is not only not simple, but it also contains many dos and don’ts, even before conception. A pre-pregnancy test is just one of the things that ladies should consider before getting pregnant. Preconception testing can help determine whether you are healthy enough to get pregnant.

In this article, we covered the importance of this checkup, the best time for it, and the different types of this test.

Now, we are ready to know about your thoughts. “Do you think it is important to get this test? Or do you know any other tests that should be done before pregnancy?” Please share your ideas with us.

FAQs

1. When is the best time to test for pregnancy?

The best time for pregnancy test is about one year before conceiving.

2. What test should I do before getting pregnant?

Ladies who want to get pregnant should undergo some pre pregnancy lab tests, like genetic screening, the STI test, and a pap test to determine any necessary treatments or vaccination should be done before getting pregnant.

3. Where can I get a preconception checkup?

You should call up your doctor’s office and ask for a preconception checkup.

4. Is there any hormone test before pregnancy?

Some tests should be done to measure your hormone levels, including estrogen, progesterone, and follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH.

5. What is pre pregnancy checkup for a couple?

Pre pregnancy checkup for couple includes a general checkup, genetic screening, STI testing, mental health check, vaccination, and dental checkup that should be done before trying for a baby.