Give Your Baby a Healthy Head Start with Preconception Planning

Most couples spend more time planning their honeymoon than their family. A mother-to-be’s health determines how healthy -- and intelligent -- their child will be. So it’s important to give your child a healthy head start by preparing for pregnancy. 

“After having a miscarriage at the age of 38, I wanted to make sure I was ready for my next pregnancy,” says Grosse Pointe resident Anne Bethell, 40. “I was totally shocked when I learned of the health issues Dr. McCarren identified during my preconception physical.”

Dr. McCarren with Steven and mother Anne Bethell.

Focusing on good nutrition and exercise is usually a “given,” but other less obvious factors play an important role to ensure an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth.  

“Taking six months to a year to prepare for your new baby is the best route to take,” says Anne Marie McCarren, M.D., chief, department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beaumont Hospital, Grosse Pointe. “It gives you and your physician time to prepare and treat conditions that may have an adverse effect on your baby.” 

Having a physical is at the top of the list. Many young women only see their gynecologist for birth control pills. A complete physical exam will indicate a clean bill of health or areas of concern that need to be addressed before conception. Simple blood tests will reveal conditions that could affect fertility. 

In Anne’s case, blood tests revealed an elevated homocysteine level. Homocysteine is a type of amino acid normally found in the body. Researchers are investigating the link between elevated levels and the risk of miscarriage. Some studies have found that high homocysteine correlates with the risk of developing heart disease and neurological problems. During Dr. McCarren’s preconception workup, she also identified Anne as having a blood clotting disorder that she closely monitored during her pregnancy. 

In addition, a physician will check the mother’s immunity to rubella and chicken pox to alleviate any worries about exposure during pregnancy. This is also the best time to check for Rhesus disease, an incompatibility of the mother and baby’s blood which can be easily treated during pregnancy. Dr. McCarren also discusses with her patients the availability of screening for cystic fibrosis. 

Anne exercised regularly, but was carrying about 20 pounds too much for her 5 foot 3 inch frame. She successfully lost about half that before conceiving by cutting sugar from her diet. If a woman is overweight with a body mass index greater than 25, losing just 5 percent of the excess weight makes an enormous difference in fertility and pregnancy outcomes.    

Just as being overweight may result in pregnancy problems, being underweight is just as risky. Birth defects, such as cleft palate, can result when the mother is not a healthy weight. There is also a greater risk for diabetes and hypertension. 

If a potential mother smokes, she should stop! Babies born to mothers who smoke risk being born prematurely with low birth weight and an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome and asthma. Alcohol and drugs – even some over-the-counter type medication and vitamins – should be discontinued. A physician will determine which medications should be stopped and which vitamins should be started.

In addition to prenatal vitamins, a physician may also recommend taking vitamins with folic acid. The March of Dimes reports that the risk of brain and spinal cord defects is reduced by as much as 50 to 70 percent when the mother is taking a daily dose of 400 micrograms of folic acid.  

And, don’t forget about dad. Men should also be involved in the planning as sperm is affected by tobacco, alcohol, toxins and recreational and prescription drugs. 

“Steven is a healthy 10-month-old who is such a joy to my husband Charlie and me,” says Bethell. “Preparing prior to becoming pregnant was worth having a healthy mother and baby.”