Preconception Counseling

When you and your partner make the decision to begin trying for a baby, you’ll want to do everything to ensure a healthy pregnancy and delivery. An initial step for some families, especially those with certain medical or genetic conditions, is a preconception consultation.

At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, we offer comprehensive preconception counseling and genetic testing. You’ll learn about the risks of pregnancy complications if you have certain medical conditions as well as your individual risk factors for birth defects and other genetic disorders. Together with your primary obstetrician and our expert genetic counselors, our Maternal Fetal Medicine physicians will provide personalized counseling and education about your risks and options.

Though preconception counseling may benefit anyone hoping to have a healthy pregnancy, you may want to consider preconception counseling or genetic testing if you or your partner has health issues that may affect a pregnancy, or you have a family or a personal history of a genetic condition.

What is preconception counseling?

Preconception counseling occurs before you get pregnant to optimize your health and ultimately reduce the risk of harm to the pregnant person and baby. It’s an important part of a planned and healthy pregnancy that generally begins with the question, “Do you plan to get pregnant in coming months?”

This type of appointment, counseling and patient education can help answer important questions to provide vital information to keep you and your baby safe during pregnancy and delivery:

• Am I in optimal health to get pregnant? Is my partner?
• What’s the risk to my health if I get pregnant? Do I have preexisting conditions, such as a heart condition or diabetes, that need better management or different medications now that I’m trying to conceive?
• Are there genetic conditions that run in my family or my partner’s family that could pose a risk to a future baby?

Genetic testing and preconception counseling 

Depending on your family history, we can provide genetic screening tests. One such option is a carrier screening, which is typically a blood test but sometimes a saliva test, that further evaluates your risk. If you have an increased chance of carrying a baby with a genetic disorder, our genetic counselors can guide you in your options for conceiving. You’ll also learn more about the condition and available prenatal tests and fetal treatments.

Who should receive preconception counseling?

Anyone hoping to conceive in coming months may benefit from preconception and counseling to be best informed about their health and wellness. You may wish to seek preconception or genetic counseling if:

• You have a preexisting condition that may affect your ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy. Sometimes we need to get the condition under control to have better outcomes in pregnancy, or we need to switch medications.
• You’ve had certain medical procedures, such as an organ transplant, or are currently using certain treatments, such as dialysis.
• You’ve had recurrent pregnancy loss or infant loss.
• You’ll be 35 years of age or older when you deliver. The odds of having a child with a chromosomal change, such as Down syndrome, increase with maternal age.
• You, your partner or your families have a history of a birth defect or genetic condition.
• Your ethnic or racial heritage puts you at higher risk for certain genetic conditions.
• You and your partner are close relatives, such as first cousins.

When should preconception counseling occur?

While you can talk to your provider at any time about your preconception health and risks to pregnancy, you should ideally schedule a preconception counseling appointment at least three months prior to you and your partner trying to conceive.

What is included in preconception and genetic counseling?

Depending on your unique situation, you may meet with a genetic counselor, a physician or another health care provider to address your needs and concerns. Our services include:

Preconception screening and risk assessments

If you have certain medical conditions, such as a heart disease or you’ve had an organ transplant, we review medications with you to make sure they’re working and safe for pregnancy. We assess the stability of your condition and work with your other specialists to make sure the condition is managed as optimally as possible.

Genetic testing

We take a detailed family history and review medication or drug exposure, maternal age and other factors, to help determine whether you have an increased risk for pregnancy complications that affect your health or your baby’s health. Depending on your personal risk factors, we offer carrier screening and testing options that help further evaluate this risk. Our genetic counselors ensure you understand what genetic testing can and can’t determine ahead of a pregnancy.

Genetic counseling and education

Our board-certified and licensed prenatal genetic counselors provide information and support to families who may have an increased risk for having a child with a birth defect or genetic condition. We provide results during a follow-up phone call or appointment, and walk people through reproductive options, including in vitro fertilization, and possible diagnostic testing (amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling) they may need during pregnancy.

Why choose Ohio State for preconception counseling?

All couples can benefit from preconception counseling at Ohio State if they want to optimize their health and the health of their baby during pregnancy. For families experiencing uncertainty surrounding conceiving, our preconception and genetic counseling services can calm fears or prepare you with personalized care, support and education if there is a high risk or diagnosis of a developmental abnormality.

Our genetics and preconception counseling team is supported by maternal fetal medicine experts whose experience is unparalleled in central Ohio and the region. Their expertise can help you better understand your risk of having a baby with a birth defect or genetic condition and better prepare you for what to expect when baby arrives.

Your care team also includes board-certified prenatal genetic counselors that draw upon a collective 40 years of experience in the field. Because we’re an academic medical center, you’ll have access to innovative research and the latest technologies and treatments. In fact, our maternal fetal medicine physicians are actively involved in clinical research and have participated in the development and testing of many of the screening procedures and treatments we offer.

Is preconception counseling covered by insurance?

For many people, preconception counseling and genetic testing can be covered by insurance. To determine if your insurance covers preconception counseling or genetic testing at Ohio State, visit our accepted insurances page or use our price estimator tool. Calling your insurance provider will give you the most detailed information about potential costs with preconception and genetic counseling.