The Importance Of Doing Physical Screening Before Planning A Pregnancy

Pregnancy Screening (Photo: Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Prospective parents are advised to do screening to detect their physical health early before planning a pregnancy. This screening is expected to prevent various possibilities in the future.

Obstetrics and gynecology specialist dr. Yassin Yanuar MIB, SpOG-KFER, M.Sc said it is very important for mothers-to-be and fathers to be open with each other about their respective health conditions before planning a pregnancy or starting a family.

"It would be even better if the expectant mother and father-to-be did various tests or health screenings so that they could detect their physical health early, so that they could prevent various possibilities in the future," Yassin said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, April 23.

In addition to the health of parents, another thing that is no less important in planning a pregnancy is social support such as family, work environment, financial conditions and others.

Prospective parents also need to access various information related to pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing to be more confident in carrying out their new roles.

Yassin also explained about important points that must be considered in preparing for pregnancy in order to maintain health and comfort during the pregnancy process until delivery later.

Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is one indicator of the success of maternal health efforts. Most maternal deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period can be prevented.

Immediate causes include bleeding, preeclampsia, and infection. While the indirect causes are too young (less than 20 years old, too old (more than 35 years old), too often (space between births less than 2 years), too many (number of children less than 3 years is more than 2).

"It's too late to recognize the danger, it's too late to go to health facilities, it's too late to get health services," said Yassin.

In addition, several health factors that still occur in many women, which can also be a risk during pregnancy and childbirth, are Chronic Energy Deficiency (KEK), anemia, HIV, and others.

The daily lifestyle without realizing it also has an important role in a person's physical readiness for pregnancy. This can be a barrier to fertility both from the side of women and men, such as smoking (damaging oocytes in women) and alcohol consumption (decreased sperm quality).

Exercise that is too heavy, or more than 5 hours per week, has been shown to reduce fertility rates. Parents who have a history of diseases such as diabetes, chronic hypertension, asthma, thyroid disease, heart disease, epilepsy, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune diseases, and others are required to have an examination first before planning a pregnancy so that it can be corrected early on.