Pregnancy Preparedness: Part 2- What the health?
When I was family planning I knew I needed to better understand my own health metrics to understand how they may impact a pregnancy. Essentially, I wanted to confirm my body was equipped to take on the task of carrying a healthy baby to term given the high maternal mortality rate in the African American community. Here are some things I did to confirm I was physically and mentally able to have a baby.
Conventional health screening: I scheduled a basic biometric screening to check my BMI, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Women’s Wellness Screening: I scheduled my annual women’s wellness check up to have a standard pap-smear performed and to discuss some basics regarding my reproductive health.
Cardio Screening: Due to a history of abnormal Electrocardiograms (EKG) I decided I needed to investigate this issue before going any further in the fertility process. I had a series of tests administered such as a stress test, a chemical stress test, and a computed tomography scan (CT scan). The first two tests were abnormal but my CT scan came back normal which ruled out heart disease.
Fertility Screening: While my OB/GYN was my first line of defense when it came to my reproductive health I knew I would need some additional assistance getting pregnant. I proceeded with scheduling initial consultations with a couple fertility clinics before settling on the one I would ultimately use on an ongoing basis. My consultation was followed up by a thorough screening which included an assessment of my hormone levels, genetic testing to screen for DNA disorders that could be potentially harm my child, an ultrasound to examine my female organs, a saline ultrasound to determine if my fibroids would impact my pregnancy, and a HSG screening to ensure there were no obstructions in any of my essential reproductive parts.
Mental Health Screening: Finally, my fertility clinic required me and all its clients to have a psychological exam done before moving forward with any treatment plan. Lucky for me I already had a mental health provider and therefore, I discussed family planning with my therapist. My doctor and I talked through various sensitive subjects such as postpartum depression and what it would mean to be a single parent.
Please comment below and let me know healthy steps you’ve taken to prepare for parenthood. Did you family plan with your healthcare provider?
3 Comments
C Y-G
Unfortunately I did not plan for either of my regnancies. Thank God both children were born healthy. Great post though. We need to talk more in the Black community about fertility issues and maternal morbidity and mortality. I am glad you mentioned the high maternal mortality rate for Black women and most people would be surprised to learn that the rates are high for Black women of every socioeconomic level.
Nicmont28
Thanks for sharing! I only had the option of planning my pregnancy because I am single and needed some assistance with becoming pregnant lol. In an ideal world I would have been married and had couple of opps babies (provided my husband and I were at least on the same page with wanting kids). Also, yes, the high maternal mortality rate was my greatest fear while pregnant which is why I took many steps to ensure my health was managable before conceiving.
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