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April: Preconception Health Awareness Month

woman thinking about a baby

April 2022 VA Women’s Health is promoting Preconception Health. Preconception health is about taking control of your health and choosing healthy habits to prepare and plan for the healthiest pregnancy possible.

A Healthy Pregnancy Starts With You  

April 2022 VA Women’s Health is promoting Preconception Health to raise awareness on the importance of taking steps to improve and manage health now in order to protect the health of a possible future baby. Preconception health is about women veterans getting and staying healthy prior to pregnancy. Preconception health has been shown to increase the chance of having a healthy baby and decreases the risk of premature birth and low birth weight. 

The VA offers comprehensive care to help guide you through the journey that leads to a healthy pregnancy. Your VA Women’s Health provider can work with you to assess your specific health needs and identify potential health risks PRIOR to becoming pregnant. The VA offers mental health support, treatment, and counseling along with a program called ROSES that is specially designed to decrease the risk of postpartum depression.

The VA also provides programs to help quit smoking and can help provide treatment for substance use disorders.  Your primary care provider will work with the Women’s Health Pharmacist to complete a teratogenic medication screen to ensure the medications being prescribed to you are not at risk of causing birth defects. Your primary care provider can also order prenatal vitamin through the VA pharmacy containing folic acid which is essential to help lower the risk of spine and brain birth defects in the developing baby. You can also contact your primary care provider about receiving ovulation test kits through pharmacy to help track ovulation and increase your chance of pregnancy. 

Once pregnancy is achieved, the VA provides maternity care coverage through community care and coordination to help create a seamless maternity experience. It is never too soon to start preconception planning with the VA to prepare for a healthy pregnancy in the future.  

For more information about Preconception Health contact your primary care provider or find more information on Preparing for Pregnancy (va.gov).  

For more information about the Madison VA Hospital, visit www.madison.va.gov or www.facebook.com/MadisonVAHospital and subscribe to our newsletters.