Checkups, Tests & Partner Health

Blood tests before pregnancy

Blood tests before pregnancy

Why blood tests before pregnancy are individualized When people look up Tests to do before pregnancy, they often expect a universal lab panel. In reality, preconception testing is more like a decision tree. A clinician looks at your medical history, prior test results, vaccination records, menstrual history, medications, family history, and whether you have had […]

Infections screening and STD testing before conception

Infections screening and STD testing before conception

Why screening before conception matters Infections screening before conception has two overlapping goals: protecting fertility and reducing risks during pregnancy. Some infections can ascend through the reproductive tract and contribute to pelvic inflammatory disease, tubal scarring, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy risk, or subfertility. Others may not affect fertility directly but can increase the risk […]

Dental health before pregnancy and why oral health matters for fertility

Dental health before pregnancy and why oral health matters for fertility

Why oral health belongs in preconception care Preconception care is the period of identifying modifiable risks and optimizing health before pregnancy begins. The World Health Organization frames preconception health broadly: nutrition, infections, chronic disease, environmental exposures, medications, and preventive care all matter before conception. Oral health fits naturally into that model. The mouth contains a […]

Vaccinations before pregnancy: which vaccines are needed and timing before conception

Vaccinations before pregnancy: which vaccines are needed and timing before conception

Why vaccination matters before conception Preconception vaccination is preventive medicine with two aims: protecting the person who will carry the pregnancy and reducing infection-related risks to the embryo, fetus, and newborn. Pregnancy changes immune, respiratory, and cardiovascular physiology, which can increase vulnerability to complications from some infections. At the same time, the fetus depends on […]

Genetic screening before pregnancy

Genetic screening before pregnancy

What genetic screening before pregnancy means Genetic screening before pregnancy usually refers to carrier screening, a blood or saliva test that checks whether a person carries specific pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants associated with inherited conditions. A carrier typically has one working copy and one altered copy of a gene. For many autosomal recessive conditions, […]

Tests to do before pregnancy

Tests to do before pregnancy

Why pre-pregnancy testing matters The earliest weeks of pregnancy are biologically important, often before a person knows they are pregnant. Organ development begins early, and exposures such as uncontrolled hyperglycemia, certain medications, severe anemia, untreated infections, or lack of folate can matter from the beginning. Pre-pregnancy testing gives you a chance to identify and address […]

Medical checkup before pregnancy and what to expect at a pre-pregnancy doctor visit

Medical checkup before pregnancy and what to expect at a pre-pregnancy doctor visit

Why a pre-pregnancy medical checkup matters Pregnancy places significant physiologic demands on the cardiovascular, endocrine, renal, hematologic, and immune systems. A pre-pregnancy checkup gives you and your clinician a chance to evaluate whether any existing conditions need optimization before conception. This is particularly relevant for conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, epilepsy, kidney disease, […]