Recent study postulates that in order to have a healthy baby, women would have to go in for ‘preconception care.’ It refers to their optimal health well in advance of a pregnancy to reduce the risk of preventable birth defects and complications. According to Dr. Peter S. Bernstein, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, ‘If a birth defect is going to happen, it’s already happened. The most important doctor’s visit may be the one that takes place before a pregnancy is conceived.’ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is of the view that prepregnancy checkups include tests for diabetes, HIV, chronic medical conditions, reviewing medications that may harm a fetus and cross checking of vaccinations. The things, which were forbidden for pregnant women, would continue to be so like, smoking, alcohol and drugs. The arguments against the idea: An argument regarding the new guidelines would be that it’ll apply to women through out their reproductive age even when they are not planning for pregnancies. According to some experts, since, most of the pregnancies in the US are unintentional and preparing for a healthy pregnancy would require behavioral changes that may take months. Also, the daily supplements of folic acid are to be taken for three months before conception. Dr. Hani Atrash, associate director for program development at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities says, ‘It’s not like we have an injection we can give someone. Some of the interventions, like weight management, need time to happen. You cannot quit smoking in one day.’ However, it sheds light on the importance of family planning, child spacing and promotes a ‘reproductive life plan’ among young adults. Statistically: The issue of pre conception health has been prioritized coz there was decline in the infant mortality rates during 1980s to 2000 but the ratio of small and preterm babies increased considerably. The infant mortality rate in the US (2002) was higher than the previous years. However, it dropped back in 2003 with 6.8 per 1000 live births. Blacks are at the highest risk for preterm birth and low birth weights, and their infant mortality rates are more than double that of whites. Preconception care: Postponing motherhood would lead to obesity and are possibly to have high blood pressure and diabetes that may further complicate pregnancy. Dr. Gary Hankins, of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists holds the view that pre-existing diabetes would definitely lead to birth defects but it could be curbed down if its restricted before conception. Recommendations for ‘preconception care’ were there for ages but most of the health care providers did not take cognizance of it. Ms Rochelle Carr, 31 who was suffering from asthma thought of curbing it as might have affected her baby since, she had suffered a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, or blood clot to the lung, when she was 29. Her doctor suggested her to avoid asthma drug as it would lead to birth defect instead she was recommended to have supplements of daily folic acid. She was also prescribed some anticoagulant as was at a risk of developing blood clot. The result of her ‘preconception care was that, she became a mother of a healthy baby. Thus, the doctors concluded that along with healthy diet and vitamins supplements, a woman is also required to go in for ‘preconception care’ as it would definitely lead to a healthy baby.
