Pregnancy is a special time, which is associated with a lot of stress for the future mother – is the baby developing properly, is everything okay? To calm down a bit, it’s worth doing some tests beforehand
When a couple is trying to have a baby they focus mainly on when the magic two lines will appear on the test, informing that a baby is developing under the woman’s heart. However, before you start trying, it’s a good idea to do some tests to check whether your body is in good shape, which will minimize certain ailments and problems. In addition, they will make it possible to detect those diseases which could threaten the life of the unborn child
Before you start trying for a baby, it’s a good idea to visit your GP, who will give you a basic check-up. In addition, he or she will check the efficiency of your organs – lungs and heart – and measure your blood pressure. It is worth remembering that hypertension is very dangerous for a pregnant woman. It can cause premature separation of the placenta, reduced growth of the foetus (or even its death), miscarriage and pre-eclampsia. It is important to remember that high blood pressure does not rule out the birth of a healthy baby. However, it is essential to monitor your pregnancy and to listen to your doctor’s advice. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure before you get pregnant, you should change your lifestyle – stop using stimulants, lose excess weight and adjust your medication accordingly
Before becoming pregnant it is advisable and even necessary to have a general blood test. Your GP will give you a referral for this test. It can also be carried out privately in any laboratory (at a cost of several zlotys). Morphology will determine the health condition of the future mother, it also enables the detection of many diseases, inflammatory conditions of the body or poisoning. It also allows to verify whether a woman is not struggling with anaemia, which can be dangerous for the child. Therefore, it is worth treating it even before becoming pregnant
Another examination, after morphology, is a general urine test. It allows you to detect many diseases of the urinary system, which should be treated before you try to have a baby. Some of them can be dangerous in pregnancy and difficult to treat – a woman in a blessed state cannot take too many drugs.
Women very often struggle with thyroid disorders, and not all of them know about it. Therefore, it is worth checking before trying to have a baby if the future mother does not have hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, which can cause a later miscarriage or premature birth. If the condition is detected before pregnancy, the endocrinologist will adjust the levels of thyroid hormones, perform an ultrasound and monitor over the next few months whether everything is going well and does not threaten the life of the baby
Cytology and vaginal examinations are tests which should be performed at least once a year, and even more so before planning to conceive a child. The first of these tests helps to detect erosion, possible inflammation or more serious diseases. Some of these can be treated with drugs, such as erosion, which if untreated can cause bleeding during pregnancy (under the influence of hormones)
A vaginal cleanliness test is also important. The purpose is to verify whether the vaginal discharge does not contain fungi or bacteria, which if untreated can contribute not only to the development of numerous inflammations and diseases, but also are a threat to the fetus
More and more couples decide before conceiving a child to perform genetic tests, which will allow to detect the potential risk of defects in the child. Such tests should be carried out especially if the mother is slightly older (for example, in her forties).
Read also: How can you increase your chances of getting pregnant?
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