Preconception and Infertility Counseling
The goal of preconception care is to facilitate the efforts of a woman to be healthy before
she becomespregnant. A healthy woman has a greater probability of having a healthy baby.
The dedication of midwives to health promotion, education, and preventive care makes midwives
ideal providers of preconception care.
Preconception Care involves the identification of factors that can affect the woman's health and
ability to carry a healthy baby. Some of the factors that may be assessed are:
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Medical illnesses
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Dental care
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Need for immunizations/vaccines
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Need for infectious disease screening
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Nutritional assessment /counseling
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Identification of use of tobacco/alcohol/prescription and over-the-counter medications
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Assessment of psychological readiness, lifestyle and stress reduction
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Discussion of workplace/environmental hazards
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Need for genetic screening based on race, ethnicity or family history