Preconception counseling and check up

The goal of this preconception counseling and checkup is to identify things that could affect your pregnancy.  Hence, it allows you to take steps to increase the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

During this visit, your doctor will ask about your diet and lifestyle, your medical and family history, medications you take, and any past pregnancies. A detailed physical examination will be performed. Common hereditary diseases will be screened and thus safeguarding the health of the next generation.

The preconception check-up provides a wide range of medical laboratory tests which the followings are of greater concern: Hepatitis B, Thalassemia, Rubella, Rhesus Factor, and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

• Blood tests
  • Complete blood picture, including haemoglobin level, white cell counts, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and platelet count
  • Blood group and Rhesus factor
  • Test for syphilis
  • Hepatitis B antigen and antibody tests
  • Rubella antibody test
• Semen Analysis
  • Sperm count, morphology and motility, semen volume and acidity
• Health Assessment
  • Measuring body mass index, blood pressure and pulse
• Urine Analysis
  • Urine glucose and protein
• Physical Examination
  • Examination of thyroid, breast, abdomen and reproductive organs

Preconception advice will be given by the doctor after physical examination and the laboratory reports will be explained to you with details.

In general, it is recommended that all women consume 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects.