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Medical Conditions

Health Screenings

To stay in good health, it is important to have regular check-ups with your doctor at least once a year. If you get pregnant, being in good health will help you have a healthy pregnancy too. Talk to your doctor about any health conditions you have. If you have had complications with a previous pregnancy, talk to your doctor now about how to improve the health of your next pregnancy if you choose to have another child. If you are currently planning a pregnancy, talk to your doctor about genetic conditions that may be passed on to the baby.

Medical Conditions

It is also important to get treatment for any health problems. Certain conditions during pregnancy can cause serious health problems for both the mom and baby. Diabetes increases the risk of having a miscarriage and of having a baby with birth defects. Obesity alone also increases the risk of having a baby with birth defects and puts the mother at risk of having a c-section. Untreated thyroid disease during pregnancy can cause mental retardation in the baby and increases the risk of severe complications in the mother, such as excessive bleeding after giving birth. Both thyroid disease and poorly controlled asthma during pregnancy can cause the baby to be born too soon or too small. If you have any health problems, getting treatment before you get pregnant may decrease health risks to you and the baby. This is why it is important to get treatment now, before you become pregnant.

Here are some of the health problems that should be managed before pregnancy:

  • Diabetes
  • Thyroid disease, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism
  • Phenylketonuria
  • Seizure disorders (epilepsy)
  • High blood pressure
  • Lupus
  • Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, including blood clots
  • Asthma
  • Eating disorders

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