How to plan for a baby if you have a chronic health condition
Having a serious ongoing medical condition does not preclude having a successful pregnancy. But, it does require extra preparation and care. A pre-existing condition, or one that has persisted for at minimum a year, does perforce require the competent overseeing of a qualified expert, who must be kept in the loop vis-a-vis plans to become pregnant. For such a pregnancy to have the best chance of full success there needs to be full information sharing between the mother-to-be’s gynecologist and the specialist that handles her chronic ccondition. Team work is of the essence. Decisions should proceed in tandem, with Mom on board. Important logistics include when to get pregnant, how to get mom’s condition under optimal control early, long before the birth, and what medicines can be safely used.
Key Takeaways:
- To qualify as a chronic health condition, the condition must have persisted for at least a year.
- The condition must also require regular medical care and affect acts of daily living.
- Pregnancy for a woman with a chronic condition requires that an assembled team of medical experts working in harmony prepare for the event.
“Make sure any provider who prescribes you medicine knows that you’re trying to get pregnant.”