Women’s Clinic launches new service – pregnancy planning consultation

In recent years, careful pregnancy planning has been a growing trend. The new service is called ‘Pregnancy Planning’ and is provided by our Maternity Counselling Centre midwives.

“We welcome women who want to get pregnant,” explains midwife Mariliis Priilinn. “They can come alone or with a partner. The purpose of this service is to address the various areas of a woman’s life, including any chronic illnesses that could affect pregnancy.” “We also perform the tests that are usually necessary in the early stages of pregnancy, discuss vitamins that a woman planning pregnancy should take in advance and provide overall counselling on healthy lifestyle habits – how to eat, what kind of exercises to do and what to avoid, which over-the-counter medications are allowed for a woman planning pregnancy and which should be avoided.”

Women have become much more aware, pregnancy is planned and the child is eagerly awaited. The age of childbearing has also increased. Dr Google is often used to raise awareness, but it is not included in our midwives’ list of recommendations, as it contains many misconceptions and can cause unnecessary anxiety. “During the visit, we can also disprove certain myths, such as if my mother had trouble getting pregnant, then I definitely will, or if my mother had a very difficult birth, I will too,” says Mariliis Priilinn. “It is important to ask and find out if close relatives – mother, father, sister, brother – are healthy or if anyone has a chronic illness and if the woman planning pregnancy has been examined in this area. Screening, fielding questions, talking with the woman and taking into account her genetics are all very important for getting pregnant. The first examination can also be done during the consultation and tests can be taken. For example, if a woman has not had cervical tests done for a long time, we can also perform those.”

Appointments take place at the Women’s Clinic, Ravi 18. You can register by calling the general number or through the ipatsient portal ( https://ipatsient.itk.ee/login), where you can schedule an appointment with a midwife by name or specialty. “Test consultations have already taken place; on average one consultation takes up to half an hour. The most important topics can be covered in this time,” explains the midwife, adding that if a woman needs a referral to a specialist, she will receive it, as East Tallinn Central Hospital has many specialties represented. For example, type one diabetics who have not seen an endocrinologist for some time can be easily referred to a specialist.

The pregnancy planning service is free of charge and no referral is required. “We see that previous problems often come up during the conversation that have not been addressed before,” says the midwife. “So it is worth coming. We provide consultations every weekday.”

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