Pre-Conception Care: Preparing Your Body for a Healthy Pregnancy
Learn what pre-pregnancy checkups, tests, and lifestyle steps help support a healthier pregnancy journey.
In short: Pre-conception care is the first step towards a safe pregnancy. It includes reviewing the medical history and controlling long-term conditions, checking vaccinations, looking for inherited diseases, stopping smoking, controlling weight and starting folic acid. The tests include a full blood count, HbA1c, thyroid function, virus screening and a urine test.
Good pregnancy care doesn’t start when you see two lines on a test — it begins earlier, with thoughtful preparation before conception. Taking time for pre-pregnancy care can help support the health of both mother and baby right from the start.
What does pre-pregnancy care include?
- Taking a medical history to find out about any chronic health problems the woman may have, and working to manage these conditions before pregnancy begins
- Making sure the woman has taken all necessary vaccinations
- Checking for genetic conditions that could potentially be passed on to the baby
- Getting support to stop harmful habits such as smoking or drinking alcohol
- Calculating the BMI and encouraging the woman to work toward a healthy weight
- Reviewing any psychological or mental health concerns and the treatments being used for them
- Starting essential vitamins such as folic acid
- Looking into family genetic conditions that may need extra evaluation or specific treatment during pregnancy (such as heart problems or thrombophilia)
What tests are usually recommended as part of preconception care?
- CBC to check for anemia
- HbA1c test
- Thyroid function test
- Virus screening (HIV, hepatitis)
- Syphilis test
- Urine analysis
What should a woman know before becoming pregnant?
- What her care and follow-up will look like during pregnancy, including how many visits to expect
- The tests done during pregnancy to check the chromosomal and anatomical health of the baby
- The different modes of birth and what each involves (vaginal delivery, caesarean section)
- Possible complications that may relate to her personal medical history
- Medical reasons a cesarean section might be recommended, along with its possible short- and long-term effects
- Possible complications that can occur with vaginal childbirth
If you’re planning a pregnancy or simply want to understand your options better, Dr. Najeeb Layyous and his team are here to guide you through personalized preconception counseling and care.
Dr Najeeb Layyous F.R.C.O.G
Consultant Obstetrician, Gynecologist and Infertility Specialist
The finest doctor in Jordan — may God bless him and his whole medical team. A doctor in every sense of the word. I advise anyone planning a pregnancy to visit Dr. Najeeb Layyous. His manner is wonderful, always smiling, with the highest ethics; he gives every patient her due, and the patient’s comfort matters most to him. We had been to many doctors and none understood and treated my case except him. Special thanks to him and the whole team, and to Dina in particular — a lovely person. I recommend anyone considering IVF or pregnancy to visit his clinic.