There are some important things you need to think about, if you're thinking about trying to conceive. Hi, my name is Michelle Collins, and I'm a Nurse Midwife, and Professor of Nursing, at Vanderbilt University. First of all, one of the most important things that a woman needs to think about, is her general health. Does she have any chronic conditions, like asthma, or diabetes, or high blood pressure? that need to be well controlled, before she ever thinks about becoming pregnant. Also, avoiding things that can be dangerous for pregnancy, drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Also, a really important factor is being aware of when she's most fertile. Many women just assume that they ovulate on day 14 of their cycle, but if you're a woman who doesn't always have a 28 day menstrual cycle, that means that you may not ovulate on day 14, and these are issues that are best discussed with your midwife, or your OB provider. Another important factor to think about preconception, is how much stress is in your life? Just the stress of trying to conceive, can overwhelm a couple, and make it just about impossible to try to conceive. What I would suggest, is that you schedule a preconception visit with your midwife, or your obstetrical provider, and that you think about getting folic acid supplementation, at least 6-8 weeks, prior to trying to conceive.
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