Prepregnancy Care

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Deciding it’s time to grow your family is exciting. But it can come with questions. You deserve peace of mind to know your pregnancy will be off to a healthy start.

You see those teeny tiny onesies at the store, and your heart melts. You hold a loved one’s newborn and can’t soak in the smell of them for long enough. Maybe you’ve already talked about baby names and reviewed your daycare budget. All signs point to the same thing — you’re hoping to grow your family.

Cleveland Clinic prepregnancy experts are here to make sure you’re physically prepared, too. A healthy pregnancy gives your baby the best start possible. You want that for your new little arrival. And that’s what the team at Cleveland Clinic wants, too. They’ll expertly and compassionately help you prepare for that next exciting step. And they’ll be with you throughout your pregnancy and beyond.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Prepregnancy Care?

Patient-centered care:

When you visit our prepregnancy experts, you’ll get personalized care. Your provider will ask about you, your health and your goals. They’ll encourage you to ask your questions, too. Your care will be fully tailored to you so that you can be completely prepared for a healthy pregnancy. Meet our team.

Trusted experts:

You’ll have a lot of different tests over the roughly 40 weeks of pregnancy. And while many of these are the same tests we give to all pregnant people, the care you receive afterwards will be personalized to match your needs. We’ll take your results and make sure you’re connected to the care that you need.

Comprehensive treatment:

A healthy pregnancy starts with your well-being. Cleveland Clinic’s trusted experts work as a team to care for you as a whole person — not just your reproductive health. You’ll access experts in obstetrics, of course, but also genetics, mental health, fertility and any other specialties you need.

Virtual visits:

If getting to your provider’s office is tough, you might be able to have a virtual visit for some appointments. You’ll get the same great care but from the comfort and convenience of home.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

What To Expect

You may be feeling a lot of different things as you go to a prepregnancy appointment. Excited. Anxious. Nervous. And you might have a lot of questions, too. That’s completely natural. Bring your questions. Bring your concerns. Bring your joy. We’re here for all of it.

So, as you’re planning for a prepregnancy appointment, sometimes referred to as preconception counseling, take this opportunity to take stock of your health and prepare for what comes next.

Your appointment may include these conversations and tests:

Medical history

You and your provider will talk about things like:

Your medical history: You’ll want to be prepared to talk about any health conditions you have, past pregnancies, medications you take, the frequency of your menstrual cycle and more.
Your family medical history (and your partner’s): We’ll ask about health conditions that run in your families, like congenital (born with it) disorders, diabetes or multiple births. You may not know your full family history, and that’s fine, but any insights you do have can be helpful. Some health conditions can be passed down through families. Based on your family history, your provider may discuss genetic counseling to give you and your provider more information about any risks that could impact your pregnancy.
Your vaccination status: Being up to date on certain vaccinations can be important during pregnancy. And some vaccines can’t be given while you’re pregnant. If you have access to your vaccination records, they can be helpful to bring. If not, that’s okay. Your provider may suggest a blood test to confirm you’re protected against things like measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox and more.
Your lifestyle: Certain factors — like smoking, using alcohol or recreational drugs, or being in contact with certain toxins — can put you at risk for serious pregnancy complications. Your provider will talk with you about the importance of avoiding these health risks. They’ll also advise you on healthy behaviors that can increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy, like eating nutritious foods and doing pregnancy-friendly exercise.

Contraception removal

To get pregnant, you’ll need to stop using contraception methods like the pill, injections or condoms. If you use an intrauterine device (IUDs) or another birth control implant, your provider will remove it when you’re ready to get pregnant.

Your fertility may return immediately after stopping some forms of birth control. With others, it could take a bit. Your provider can advise you on when you can expect the effects of any birth control to wear off so you’ll know when your best chances at conception will be.

Conception counseling

You may wonder how long it will take to get pregnant. The answer is different for everybody. It depends on your age, health, the timing of intercourse and other factors. Your provider will be ready to talk with you about your most fertile windows and give you advice for getting pregnant fast. They’ll also let you know when to check in if you haven’t become pregnant in a certain time so you can take any next steps to confirm your fertility.

They may also recommend you start taking a prenatal vitamin even before you get a positive pregnancy test. That can help promote healthy fetal development even before you know you’re pregnant.

Physical exam

Your provider will do a complete physical exam that may include:

Checking your height and weight.
Testing your temperature and blood pressure.
Listening to your heart and lungs.
Doing a breast exam and pelvic exam (including a pap smear, if you’re due).
Drawing blood to check your blood count and test for things like infections (including sexually transmitted infections or STIs) that could affect your pregnancy. This test may be done now or at your first appointment once you become pregnant.

Your questions

Your prepregnancy appointment will include plenty of time for you to ask questions. Write them down if you want and, if you’d like, bring your partner or a support person to make sure they get the information they need, too.

Ask anything (everything) on your mind. We’re here to help. Often, people who are planning for pregnancy will ask questions like:

How will I know when I’m ovulating?
What should I do to keep healthy as I prepare for pregnancy?
Can I continue taking my current medications?
When and how often should I take a pregnancy test?
Are there any changes I should make to my diet or exercise routine increase my chances of conceiving?
What early pregnancy symptoms should I look for?
Am I at risk of passing down any genetic (inherited) conditions?

Meet Our Planning for Pregnancy Team

The prepregnancy experts at Cleveland Clinic work as a team to help make sure you’re ready to have a healthy pregnancy. They’ll listen to any concerns you have as you start or grow your family. Your team may include:

Obstetricians.
Gynecologists.
Midwives.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists.
Nurse practitioners.
Primary care physicians.
Genetic counselors.
Fertility specialists.
Specialists as needed to care for any chronic conditions you may be living with.

Providers Who Offer Prepregnancy Care

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio and Florida.

Ongoing Care

Your prepregnancy care doesn’t end with one appointment. If you need follow-up care to support your health as you prepare for pregnancy, our experts will be here for you. If you have trouble conceiving, we’ll find out why. And when you become pregnant, we’ll be with you throughout your prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care.

Taking the Next Step

You want what’s best for your baby — and that starts long before you ever even meet them. Taking care of your health is the first step to protecting their health. The prepregnancy experts at Cleveland Clinic are here to keep you both healthy and safe.