Pre-pregnancy Tests Is The New Trend Among Couples

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Couples these days are opting to meet a doctor before planning a pregnancy to make sure everything is alright with them. Pre-pregnancy tests or preconception care is now becoming a common practice offered by obstetricians & gynecologists.

While this may not always be necessary, but to make sure that you and your partner don’t have any conditions or illnesses that could affect pregnancy or chances of becoming pregnant can make a difference. Getting the right advice about exercise, eating, lifestyle and folic acid supplement can increase chances of conception and reduce the risks of miscarriage or birth defects.

Why is consulting the obstetrician important prior to conception?

Preconception counseling or preparing for pregnancy is mandatory for the benefit of the mother and the baby. A woman’s health prior to conception and during pregnancy is critical to the outcome of the pregnancy and may have a lifelong impact on her baby’s health for two main reasons:

1. To detect and assess any specific health problem in the woman or the partner so that they can be managed appropriately prior to pregnancy.

2. To obtain general advice about optimizing health care and lifestyle with pregnancy in mind. A woman should undergo a detailed medical examination including breast examination and Pap smear.

What are Pre-pregnancy Tests

Dr. Akhila Sangeetha Bhat, OB
GYN, Chennai

Dr. Akhila Sangeetha Bhat, a gynecologist from Chennai, does pre-pregnancy work-up or preconception care for aspiring parents. “There are many married couples who are coming forward now to opt for an assessment of their bodies keeping family planning in mind. These are mostly women with hormonal imbalance, obesity, irregular periods who have been trying for conception. So basically they want to know if they are fine and can go ahead with planning for the child.”

What comprises this pre-pregnancy tests or preconception care?

“This is a basic health check-up which consists of complete blood work, hemoglobin profile and hormonal work, along with a basic scan and hormone investigations. This mostly clears the air of any abnormalities that they may need to worry about like low hemoglobin, hormonal imbalance, polycystic ovaries, etc and we know specifically what needs to be sorted beforehand”, says Dr. Bhat.

Blood tests and a pap smear may be done to rule out any medical conditions that could affect pregnancy or chances of conceiving. For men, a semen analysis can help in determining sperm motility. Illnesses such as Rubella, or German measles immunity, Chickenpox immunity, HIV, Hepatitis B immunity, Herpes, other STDs (such as chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea), thyroid problems (with a TSH test), and other conditions may be tested for.

Genetic Profiling

A genetic profile is not generally required until and unless the family of the couples has a history of genetic abnormalities. An incidence of male infertility, female infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, history of autism, ADHD, down’s syndrome, vitiligo, albinism, glycogen storage disorder, are a few things that need to be watched out for in the family and brought to the attention of the doctors so that necessary genetic profiling can be done to identify or rule out any such abnormalities.

Sickle cell anemia, Thalassemia (an inherited form of anemia), and genetic diseases common in the population are done depending on the ethnicity of the patient.

While some may think that this is unnecessary and not required, a little prep and precautions before starting a family can make a difference in many cases especially with the many lifestyle diseases that are popping up nowadays even among the young.

Dr. Akhila Sangeetha Bhat can be reached at 099728 99728

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Premenstrual symptoms are not normal for all women but are for many. However, not all types of premenstrual symptoms are normal or indicate good menstrual health. The purpose of this article is to explore the different types of premenstrual symptoms and provide tips on how to manage them.

The menstrual cycle is a physical and emotional rollercoaster for many women. It can be a time of extreme highs and lows, with some days feeling like you have nothing to worry about and other days feeling as if the period pain is too much to bear.

We all know that women’s moods and emotions can change before and during menstruation (premenstrual and menstrual phases). Sometimes it may be hard to tell if these are normal premenstrual symptoms. The mood changes that happen before menstruation aren’t always a sign of good menstrual health. There are many other causes for these symptoms, so it’s important to learn about the different types and how they can affect you.

Premenstrual symptoms can sometimes be a symptom of other things going on in your life, but if you’re experiencing the following symptoms, this article will give you a few tips to help relieve them.

What is Premenstrual Syndrome?

Women may experience a wide range of symptoms that can be annoying, frustrating, and painful. The most common symptom is menstrual cramps, which can be mild to severe. Symptoms can also include nausea, headaches, back pain, sleep disturbances, bloating, breast tenderness, pain, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and depression. Women who experience certain symptoms could have premenstrual syndrome or PMS.

Identifying the different types of PMS

Premenstrual symptoms can cause a number of different problems. The most common symptom is bloating, which is simply due to the accumulation of gas and fluid in the body. Some women experience mood swings and irritability, which can be related to changes in hormone levels and stress levels in the body. Other symptoms include breast tenderness, headaches, fatigue, appetite changes, constipation, food cravings, back pain, and joint pain. There are also other symptoms that are more serious such as depression or anxiety.

How does PMS affect different people?

Premenstrual Syndrome is a disorder that affects many women and can cause a variety of symptoms. The severity of PMS differs from woman to woman and may range from mild to extreme.

Premenstrual mood changes are not normal for all women but are for many. However, not all types of premenstrual mood changes are normal or indicate good health. typically mild and do not really disrupt your daily activities, it is best to describe them as ‘normal (pre)menstrual changes’ (rather than ‘symptoms’ or ‘PMS’).

Altered moods and increased irritability

Menstrual health is often defined by the frequency, duration, and intensity of premenstrual symptoms. Some women experience no premenstrual symptoms at all. These women are said to have “good menstrual health.”

It can have many different symptoms, including mood swings, fatigue, headaches, vomiting, and tender breasts. Other signs of PMS are irritability or anger, depression, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, bloating in the abdomen area, and breast swelling.

The assertion that all pre-menstrual symptoms demonstrate good or normal menstrual health is false. Certain symptoms, such as mood swings, may not be indicative of anything other than a bad day.

Premenstrual mood changes that are very severe and accompanied by severe bouts of crying or depressive suicidal thoughts may be a sign that you’re experiencing premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), one of the most common causes of severe emotional and physical symptoms during menstruation. So if you’re experiencing them and they last for more than a day or two, it’s worth talking to your doctor about it. Read more about it here – Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder- A Depression Caused Hormonally in Women

What are some other warning signs for unhealthy or abnormal premenstrual symptoms?

severe abdominal (period) pain
severe muscle/ joint pain
excessive loss of appetite
insomnia
decreased energy levels
bouts of fainting
heavy bleeding, and blood loss of more than 80ml (approx. 160ml total fluid is lost per period)
a cycle that lasts for more than 10 days
painful excessive acne breakout

How to manage certain symptoms like period pain and cramps

1. Taking anti-inflammatory medications or analgesics can help with the pain

2. Omega 3 oils every day is very beneficial for good menstrual health

3. Dietary supplements like seeds and iron-rich foods and a good fiber-rich diet can help.

4. Exercising regularly and moving your body with light cardio workouts like walking and low-intensity workouts or body stretching can help alleviate symptoms.

These are some coping mechanisms that may show improvement in overall health and wellbeing during a menstrual cycle. But if these approaches do not help with the symptoms, it is better to seek medical intervention.

For more on Menstrual Health by Infano, click here.