Home Pregnancy and baby healthPregnancy What tests should I do before I get pregnant?

What tests should I do before I get pregnant?

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

During pregnancy many important processes occur in the body that require a good state of health of the woman to guarantee her well-being and that of the fetus. For this reason, it is very important, if you are thinking of getting pregnant, that you go to your doctor for a general check-up of your body and tell you what changes you should start to make to prepare your body to conceive.

During this visit to the doctor, you may ask a series of questions to find out how the pregnancies have been in your family and to be more aware of the family history that makes up your medical record. Likewise, it is common that after examining your reproductive system, the specialist requests a series of exams to study your body health in depth and identify in time any factor that could put the conception or the evolution of the fetus at risk. What tests should I do before I get pregnant? In this FastlyHealarticle you will find the answer.

Hemogram or hematology

It is the most common test that doctors send to assess that everything is going well with the circulatory system and the cellular composition of the blood. Through this test, the levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets , hemoglobin, among others, can be known, which will allow to detect if there is the presence of bacteria, infections or if the future mother is anemic. In the latter case, it will be advisable for the woman to start taking iron and folic acid to increase the amount of red blood cells in the blood and fight anemia.

In the following FastlyHealarticle we give you tips to prevent anemia in pregnancy , a complete guide on what to eat to avoid possible complications.

Gynecological tests

The obstetrician gynecologist will also perform a Pap test plus hysteroscopy to confirm that everything is fine with the uterus and that the uterus is in excellent condition to conceive. Also, during this consultation the specialist will perform an intravaginal echo to observe the ovaries and determine what state they are in, if the production of eggs is regular and when is the next fertile period in which you can start looking for babies.

It is also possible that during this consultation a self-examination of the breasts and an echo of the same are carried out, to be able to rule out the presence of masses, cysts or any other mass that may interfere with the growth of the breasts during pregnancy and with the correct state of the mammary ducts through which breast milk comes out. Likewise, a uterine body biopsy may also be requested to confirm that the endometrium responds to the stimuli of hormones and the pregnancy will implant correctly.

Rubella test

Rubella is a disease that, if it occurs during pregnancy, can cause major complications for both the mother and the normal development of the fetus. It is an infection that attacks the skin that is transmitted virally and that once the mother suffers it can be transmitted to the fetus, which will be born with rubella.

By means of a rubella test , the future mother’s immunity to this pathology can be diagnosed. If the mother is immune, she can easily get pregnant. When there is no immunity, the woman should be vaccinated and begin to seek pregnancy at least six months after the vaccine is placed. Rubella during the first three months of pregnancy can be a fatal disease.

Toxoplasmosis test

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is found in many species of birds and animals, especially cats. The contagion can be carried out through blood transfusions, cat droppings, consumption of contaminated soil and raw beef or pork. This condition can also be passed from mother to fetus.

Like rubella, the toxoplasmosis test is done to check the mother’s immunity to rubella, which can cause damage to the baby’s nervous system during the first months of pregnancy. If the mother is not immune, she should take preventive measures to avoid contracting the disease, such as not eating raw meats, raw vegetables and fruits, or sausages with little or no cooking. Nor will you be able to be in contact with boxes where cats relieve themselves or do gardening tasks.

Other tests

  • Autoimmune disease tests identify if there are immune alterations that can damage the ovum and are the cause of premature abortions.
  • The Coombs test is requested from mothers who, unlike their partner, have a negative Rh factor. It allows determining antibodies that can endanger the fetus.
  • The Simmel test is performed when the expectant mother presents alterations in the production of red blood cells or the presence of anemia. If this test is altered, it will be necessary to perform another test called abnormal hemoglobin, which allows diagnosing Mediterranean anemia or sickle cell anemia.

Tips before getting pregnant

Before you conceive, it’s not all tests and medical visits, there are also some changes you can make in your lifestyle that will help you have a healthier pregnancy.

  • Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and protein from lean meats.
  • Avoid consuming excess fat.
  • Walk every day for at least 45 minutes to promote your blood circulation.
  • If you are overweight, try to lose a few kilos so that the increase in pregnancy does not cause complications or bodily discomfort.
  • Start taking vitamins and folic acid to reduce the risk of fetal development abnormalities .
  • Control your emotions, you don’t always get pregnant in the first or second or third and fourth months. Be patient, calm and serenity and enjoy the path that will lead you to be a mother . Remember that heartbreak, stress, depression and anxiety make it difficult to get pregnant and also affect the well-being of the baby.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to What tests should I do before I get pregnant , we recommend that you enter our Pregnancy and baby health category .

You may also like

Leave a Comment