Before You Get Pregnant

Northern Colorado Women's Wellness

Located in Greeley Colorado, Noco Women's Wellness is a Gynecology practice whose mission is to help women of all lifestyles heal their way to better health and happiness. Our team of female providers is dedicated to helping each patient achieve maximum wellness and to be their best self.

A checkup with your GYN health care provider before you conceive is important both for your baby and you. Once you are actually pregnant, your baby’s major organs and body systems begin to form in the first 8 weeks. Your health and nutrition directly affect your baby’s development.

The healthcare providers at NOCO Women’s Wellness can help you identify behaviors where you can make small but important changes to improve your health before pregnancy.

The fetus is most vulnerable to the harmful effects of smoking (including second-hand), alcohol and drugs during the first trimester of pregnancy. That’s why it’s critical to stop these behaviors before you conceive your child.

Medical conditions – such as diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and seizure disorders – can cause problems during pregnancy. You should discuss all your medical conditions with your health care provider.

Some medications including vitamin supplements, over-the-counter medications, and herbal remedies, can be harmful to the fetus and should not be taken by pregnant women. But don’t stop taking prescription medications until you have talked with your health care provider.

Infections passed through sexual contact – sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) – also are harmful during pregnancy. Many types of STDs may affect your ability to become pregnant. They also may infect and harm your baby. If you think you or your partner may have an STD, get tested and treated right away.

Immunization status should be assessed for Tdap, measles-rubella,  hepatitis B, varicella, annual influenza and CoVid.

Definitions

Depression: Feelings of sadness for periods of at least 2 weeks.
Diabetes: A condition in which the levels of sugar in the blood are too high.
Gestational Diabetes: Diabetes that arises during pregnancy.
Neural Tube Defects (NTDs): Birth defects that result from incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, or their coverings.
Preeclampsia: A condition of pregnancy in which there is high blood pressure and protein in the urine.
Preterm: Born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): Diseases that are spread by sexual contact, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital warts, herpes, syphilis, and infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the cause of acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome [AIDS]).