{"id":18172,"date":"2024-03-19T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=18172"},"modified":"2026-04-16T15:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T20:42:58","slug":"what-should-i-do-to-prepare-for-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/what-should-i-do-to-prepare-for-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"What should I do to prepare for pregnancy?"},"content":{"rendered":"

From preconception all the way to delivery, obstetricians and gynecologists agree that it\u2019s important to be in optimal health.<\/p>\n

\u201cPregnancy is wonderful, but it can put stress on your body,\u201d Annevay Conlee, MD<\/a>, an obstetrics and gynecology physician at OSF HealthCare, said.<\/p>\n

Preconception<\/h2>\n

\"Preparing<\/a>Preconception is that time when you think you want to get pregnant in the near future. It\u2019s a sort of preparation time before getting pregnant.<\/p>\n

Dr. Conlee encourages women to schedule a preconception appointment with their providers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou should meet with your OB\/GYN before you even get pregnant. Schedule a preconception visit as soon as you have that first thought that maybe you\u2019d like to get pregnant. You and your provider can talk about all the things that make for healthy fertility and pregnancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen it comes to fertility, I think it\u2019s important to know your body. Your fertility depends on how regular your menstrual cycle\u00a0is. And there are several different ways to learn about that,\u201d Dr. Conlee said.<\/p>\n

Dr. Conlee suggests women should know their body and whether their menstrual cycle is healthy.<\/p>\n

A normal menstrual cycle<\/a> is a range around 28 days, give or take a few days. If you have long or short cycles, something may be wrong. Anything longer than 36 days is a long cycle. Anything shorter than 21 days is a short cycle.<\/p>\n

Women can learn an effective menstrual cycle tracking method, like the Creighton fertility awareness model.<\/a> Learning to track your fertility gives you more control over your health. It also helps to know when your most fertile window is if you\u2019re trying to get pregnant.<\/p>\n

An added benefit of charting is the insight into any fertility issues you may have. The Creighton Model will alert you to abnormalities or problems, and providers can use specialized treatments like NaProTECHNOLOGY<\/a>\u2122 to medically or surgically correct fertility issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can meet with a nurse to learn about your menstrual cycle, even as a teenager from the first period. You learn what\u2019s normal, what\u2019s not normal, the signs of fertility. You can learn what your discharge reveals about your cycle. Those pieces of knowledge help you to know your overall health,\u201d Dr. Conlee said.<\/p>\n

Conceiving<\/h2>\n

Healthy Lifestyle<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re thinking about trying to get pregnant soon, start with a healthy lifestyle and diet. Being at a healthy weight for your body increases your chances of getting pregnant. It also helps you support a healthy pregnancy when the time comes.<\/p>\n

Having a healthy lifestyle before and at the time of conception will help to lower risk during pregnancy. Certain birth defects, such as neural tube defects, can occur before you even know you\u2019re pregnant. So, being as healthy as possible will give you and your baby the best opportunity to thrive during pregnancy.<\/p>\n

Prenatal vitamins<\/h3>\n

There are even benefits of prenatal vitamins while not pregnant.<\/p>\n

\n

Check up on your overall health<\/p>\n

Make an appointment<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Prenatal vitamins offer many supplements to a healthy diet. They can boost vitamins and minerals in your body, like iron and folic acid. These supplements help your body to support a healthy pregnancy and baby. Prenatal vitamins also boost collagen and keratin, which may cause healthier skin, hair and nails.<\/p>\n

However, Dr. Conlee doesn\u2019t recommend taking prenatal vitamins if you\u2019re not trying to conceive. You may end up with too much of a vitamin or mineral, which can cause other issues in the future.<\/p>\n

Fertile Window<\/h3>\n

In addition to looking at your diet and lifestyle, you can also start tracking your menstrual cycle.<\/p>\n

Ovulation may occur on a different day each month. Using a fertility awareness method, like Creighton, can help to know when ovulation occurs month to month.<\/p>\n

You can usually tell when you\u2019re ovulating based on the mucus you notice when you go to the bathroom. If the mucus is stretchy, clear and slippery, that is a sign you\u2019re fertile. Many women describe this type of mucus as looking like egg whites.<\/p>\n

Women are most fertile during ovulation and about three days after. Ovulation and the first few days of the luteal phase are when a woman is most fertile.<\/p>\n

However, there are some exceptions. Sperm can last inside a woman\u2019s body for a few days. So, even if you haven\u2019t ovulated yet, you can still get pregnant if you\u2019ve had sexual intercourse in the days leading up to ovulation.<\/p>\n

When to take a pregnancy test<\/h2>\n

Most home pregnancy tests can give you a reliable result the day after your first missed period. If you have any suspicion that you might be pregnant, wait to take a test until you miss a period. If you take a test too soon, your chances of getting a false negative increase, even if you are pregnant.<\/p>\n

Home pregnancy tests measure the level of hCG in your urine. It doesn\u2019t matter what time of day you take a test. But your urine is more concentrated first thing in the morning, which means the level of hCG present might be slightly higher.<\/p>\n

Read the directions on the pregnancy test box for how results will show up. Positive results are often shown with two lines or a plus sign. Negative results are often shown with one line or a negative sign.<\/p>\n

If you take a test and it comes back negative, but you still haven\u2019t started your period after a week, take another pregnancy test.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve taken a home pregnancy test and it\u2019s positive<\/a>, schedule an appointment with you OB. Health care providers usually see pregnant women around the four-to-six-week mark.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From preconception all the way to delivery, obstetricians and gynecologists agree that it\u2019s important to be in optimal health. \u201cPregnancy is wonderful, but it can put stress on your body,\u201d Annevay Conlee, MD, an obstetrics and gynecology physician at OSF HealthCare, said. Preconception Preconception is that time when you think you want to get pregnant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":18243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[118,108],"tags":[1149,1151,90,1131,1152],"coauthors":[1051],"class_list":["post-18172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birthing-center","category-women","tag-ob-gyn","tag-preconception","tag-pregnancy","tag-pregnancy-test","tag-prenatal-vitamins"],"yoast_head":"\nPreconception: Preparing for pregnancy | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thinking of getting pregnant? 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