DelaFertility · 4 min read
Preparing for pregnancy
You can make a preconception appointment before you know exactly when, or how, you want to try. It is a chance to ask what matters for your health, not a test of how prepared you are.
Sources and editorial standardsGeneral information, not medical advice.
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Bring the details you already have
A useful starting point is a list of health conditions, medicines, supplements and questions. Include previous pregnancy experiences and relevant family history if you know them. A clinician can discuss which vaccinations or other checks fit your circumstances. You do not need to arrive with a complete medical file. [1] [2]
If the conversation feels like a lot, start with the question you most want answered. A notebook, a note on your phone or a few dates are enough to give the conversation a starting point.
Review medicines before changing them
Bring the names and doses of prescription medicines, products bought without a prescription, vitamins and herbal remedies. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own. The decision involves both the medicine and the condition it treats; your clinician can help weigh those risks. [3]
Ask about folic acid
CDC recommends 400 micrograms of folic acid each day, beginning at least one month before pregnancy and continuing during early pregnancy. It helps prevent neural tube defects, which affect the developing brain and spine. It is not a treatment for infertility or a promise of a particular outcome. [1]
Some health histories call for a different dose. Ask your clinician rather than taking extra prenatal vitamins to reach one. [2] [3]
Know when to ask about fertility care
For otherwise uncomplicated attempts involving regular sex without contraception, ASRM recommends a fertility evaluation after 12 months if the person trying to become pregnant is younger than 35, or after six months from age 35. Over 40, a more immediate discussion may be appropriate. [4]
Those timeframes are not instructions to wait despite a concern. Irregular or absent periods, known conditions that may affect fertility, or a history that needs attention can justify earlier care. Donor conception and fertility treatment have their own planning needs. [4]
Tracking is optional
A record of cycle dates can help you remember what you want to discuss and give the conversation a starting point; the assessment itself belongs to your clinician. If keeping a record helps, Dela's fertility tracking puts dates and signs together. If it adds pressure, you do not have to use it.
Sources and further reading
Specific guidance behind this article. Sources checked . This is an editorial source check, not a clinician's review.
- CDC: Planning for PregnancyJuly 14, 2026. Preconception discussion topics and folic acid guidance.
- ACOG and ASRM: Prepregnancy CounselingCommittee Opinion 762. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2019;133:e78–e89. Clinical counseling guidance.
- ACOG: Good Health Before PregnancyPatient guidance on medication review and individual folic acid needs.
- ASRM Practice Committee: Fertility evaluation of infertile womenFertility and Sterility, 2021;116:1255–1265. Evaluation timing and circumstances that warrant earlier care.