Go read the Disclaimer again. I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Seriously.
Some pregnancies are planned; others are not. Pregnancies which are planned suffer from some problems. It may be harder than expected to get pregnant, which can place a lot of stress on the relationship between the parents-to-be. In the course of trying to figure out why it is so hard to get pregnant, a lot of women feel shocked and betrayed when they learn their fertility has already been declining for many years, when everything they read or saw on TV led them to believe they could easily have children into their forties. When there is a plan in place, that fails to account for some event, the planners may feel much worse about that event than if they were just winging it and expecting the worst to happen, not knowing what that might be. Those who did not plan to get pregnant, in fact, rally more resources than those who do plan, and think they can manage everything by themselves.
That said, in our culture we expect a lot from prenatal care that prenatal care cannot ever deliver. Smoking, drinking, drug use (recreational and otherwise), living with a violent partner, obesity, lack of physical fitness, working near dangerous chemicals or radiation are all risky for a developing fetus. It is probably easier to do something effective about these risks before a pregnancy is discovered, rather than after. However, most smoking cessation programs can still work for pregnant or breastfeedng women.
There are different opinions on the danger of alcohol during pregnancy.
Severe obesity usually reflects underlying emotional issues. Finding help in addressing those issues before getting pregnant is may be less difficult than waiting until after getting pregnant. Just leading a relatively ordinary, sedentary life, and eating a relatively ordinary American diet, however, can lead to overweight. Even small improvements in eating and small increases in physical activity can make a substantial difference in overall health, that may improve the experience of pregnancy for a woman, and possibly reduce the risks of pregnancy to herself and her baby (although those risks are generally overblown).
Some health care providers offer preconception counseling to women planning pregnancy, which includes all of the above, and a long list of other things. Preconception counseling, if done early enough (so that if you aren't immune to rubella or chickenpox or whatever, you have time to get vaccinated and wait long enough before becoming pregnant to avoid endangering your baby-to-be, and you have enough time to improve your nutrition, your physical fitness, your emotional state, your relationship, and so forth) is probably worth a whole lot more than most prenatal care.
Consider your current nutritional status, and whether you want to supplement folic acid.
If you are feeling particularly ambitious, you could try to address any emotional, psychological or familial baggage you are carrying around with you. I know I'm still dragging around a lot.
The latest guidelines for Health Care Professionals who will give you advice about what to do before getting pregnant came out in April 2006. If you read them, you'll know whether your Health Care Provider is toeing the line, out of date, or has a unique perspective.
Copyright 2006 by Rebecca Allen
Created January 16, 2006 Updated July 11, 2006