If you are trying to become pregnant or are just thinking about it, it is never too early to start getting ready for pregnancy. Preconception health and health care focus on things you can do before and between pregnancies to increase the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby.
The Division of Maternal and Child Health at the Vermont Department of Health is committed to ensuring that Vermonters have access to resources and information to have healthy pregnancies. An initiative that supports this work is One Key Question. An initiative of the Oregon Foundation for Reproductive Health and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, One Key Question promotes a simple, but important question: Would you like to become pregnant in the next year? One Key Question provides tools and resources so that health care providers can more fully support people’s preventive reproductive health needs, such as preventing an unintended pregnancy or preparing for a healthy pregnancy.
One Key Question promotes a simple, but important question: Would you like to become pregnant in the next year? One Key Question provides tools and resources so that health care providers can more fully support people’s preventive reproductive health needs, such as preventing an unintended pregnancy or preparing for a healthy pregnancy.
- If you answer "yes" to this question, there are several things to consider related to your preconception health.
- If you answer "no", there are several things to consider related to family planning and birth control.
- If you answer “I’m ok either way” or “I’m unsure”, talk to your health care provider about whether you want to become pregnant in the future and if so, how to prepare for a healthy pregnancy. In the meantime, you will want to discuss how to prevent unplanned pregnancy by discussing your birth control options.
- Whatever your answer is at this time, make sure to schedule your annual well-woman visit. Routine health care visits can help find problems early or prevent health problems before they occur.
Whether this is your first pregnancy or if you've been pregnant before, there are several steps you can take to help ensure that you have the healthiest pregnancy possible. Get the care you need. Make a plan. See your doctor to talk about medical conditions, medications, lifestyle and behaviors, vaccinations, stress and mental health, among other topics. Here is a checklist of things you can discuss with your doctor to help you prepare.