Comprehensive Maternal-Fetal Medicine Consultations

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Pre-pregnancy planning

In order for you and your family to have the best pregnancy experience and outcome, you should plan your pregnancies carefully and obtain as comprehensive as possible information on your and your partner’s current state of health. You should investigate the latest genetic tests that are available to you, the best diets and supplements that you should be on, the types of exercises that you should be doing, and if you have any medical problems, the types of medications that you can safely use during your pregnancy.
Before you take any serious measures regarding your healthcare in planning for your pregnancy, make sure to consult with your Obstetrician, your Internist, and with our office. You will be surprised at the relevant available information.

Some simple tips to improve your pregnancy outcome:

  1. Start a 30-45 minutes, 4-5 days a week, aerobic exercise routine, and a 20-30 minutes muscle toning routine
  2. Eat 3 moderate meals and 3 small snacks of healthy foods a day
  3. Go organic when you can, especially for foods that you consume frequently
  4. Avoid high fat and fried foods, avoid foods with simple sugars (sweets), and limit your intake of juices (4-6 oz daily) and fruits (4 small fruits daily)
  5. Eat generous amounts of green vegetables, moderate amounts of sweet tasting vegetables (red peppers, tomatoes, etc.), and small amounts of starchy vegetables (potatoes, carrots, corns, peas)
  6. Eat moderate legumes (Beans, lentils, etc) and whole grains
  7. Vary your source of proteins from meat, poultry, fish, and eggs (DHA fortified)
  8. Limit your fish intake to 4-6 oz twice a week (salmon, sardines, light chunk tuna, tilapia, catfish, cod, halibut, and shelled fish)
  9. Stop smoking and do not drink alcohol or use recreational drugs
  10. Take prenatal vitamins with 1 mg folic acid and take 4 mg folic acid in addition to that to reduce the risk of fetal neural tube and cardiac defects
  11. Make sure your prenatal vitamins contain Iodine (you need around 220 mcg daily). Note that ¼ teaspoon of iodized salt contains 100 mcg of iodine
  12. Take DHA and EPA (omega 3 fat) supplements, 1000 mg, in a ratio of nearly 1:1
  13. If you are taking other vitamin supplements, Chinese Herbs, other alternative therapies, over-the-counter medications, or prescription medications, make sure to consult with your doctor or call us for advice regarding their safety and proper use during pregnancy
  14. Obtain applicable genetic tests and other medical tests prior to conception so as not to have the emotional anxiety associated with these tests during pregnancy
  15. When you are ready to start your pregnancy, consider the use of an Ovulation Kit to improve your successful healthy pregnancy rate

How to prepare for, and what to expect during, prepregnancy counseling in our office:

  1. Obtain all medical records and tests that pertain to your current health problems, previous serious health problem, and previous obstetrical complications
  2. Request records from doctors and hospitals to be faxed to our office prior to your appointment with us so that we may review them in advance
  3. You will require 15-20 minutes to fill out paper work in our office prior to being evaluated by a physician unless you have completed our medical forms available on line and you have faxed in advance your insurance information
  4. Your visit may entail a full physical exam and ultrasound of your uterus and ovaries.

The length of your visit will vary between 40 and 90 minutes depending on the complexity and number of problems you have