Preconception
Complete Preconception Course
A 12-week, step-by-step plan to get your body, lifestyle and practical plans ready before you try for a baby.
$24.99Buy
Preconception courses for the months before you try to conceive
Plan the vitamins, food, lifestyle and doctor's visit that matter before pregnancy, at your own pace and with checklists you can share with a partner.
- 2 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Some of the most useful steps toward a healthy pregnancy happen before you conceive. The CDC advises that all women who could become pregnant get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before conception, to help lower the risk of neural tube defects. Women who have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect are advised to take a higher dose, 4,000 mcg a day, under a doctor's guidance.
Iodine is another US talking point. The American Thyroid Association advises women planning pregnancy to take 150 mcg of iodine a day as potassium iodide, yet a study of best-selling prenatal vitamins found that many contained none. Checking the label of your prenatal vitamin is a small job that the courses walk you through. The CDC also says there is no known safe amount of alcohol when you are trying to get pregnant.
Our preconception courses turn this advice into checklists, trackers and a 12-week plan, and help you prepare questions for a preconception visit with your primary care provider or OB-GYN. They are education only: always check supplements, medicines and health conditions with your doctor or pharmacist.
All preconception courses
Preconception
Vitamins Before Pregnancy (Folic Acid, Iodine & Vitamin D)
Folic acid, iodine and vitamin D before pregnancy: how much, when to start, who may need a higher dose and how to check a label.
$16.99Buy
Choosing a preconception course
- Vitamins Before Pregnancy is a focused course on folic acid, iodine and vitamin D: how much the federal and professional advice suggests, how to read a supplement label, and who should ask a doctor about a higher folic acid dose.
- Complete Preconception Course covers the whole picture over 12 weeks: food, weight, activity, alcohol and smoking, medicines, vaccinations and a prep sheet for your preconception visit.
Partners can use the lifestyle tracker too. Changes are easier to keep up when both of you are making them.
What the preconception tools do
- Supplement checklist and daily tracker: confirm what you take and tick it off each day.
- Prenatal vitamin label checker: check a label for folic acid, iodine and vitamin D amounts in mcg or IU.
- Higher-dose eligibility checker: flags whether you should ask your doctor about more than 400 mcg of folic acid.
- Preconception visit prep sheet: your health history, medicines and questions in one place for the appointment.
- 12-week preparation planner and lifestyle tracker: food, activity, alcohol, sleep and stress, week by week.
When to talk to your doctor first
Book a preconception visit with your primary care provider or OB-GYN before you start trying if you:
- have a long-term condition such as diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure or a thyroid condition
- take any regular prescription medicines
- have had a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, or a family history of one
- have had problems in a previous pregnancy
Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own; ask your doctor first. If you have been trying for a while without becoming pregnant, your doctor can talk you through the next steps.
Preconception courses: your questions
How much folic acid should I take before getting pregnant?
The CDC advises 400 mcg of folic acid every day for all women who could become pregnant, starting at least one month before conception. If you have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, the CDC advises 4,000 mcg a day from one month before trying through the first 3 months of pregnancy, under your doctor's guidance.
Do I need iodine before pregnancy?
The American Thyroid Association advises women planning a pregnancy to take 150 mcg of iodine a day as potassium iodide. Many prenatal vitamins sold in the US do not contain iodine, so check the label and ask your pharmacist if you are unsure.
Should I take vitamin D before pregnancy?
The US does not have a blanket vitamin D supplement message for women planning a pregnancy. The recommended intake from the NIH is 600 IU (15 mcg) a day for adults up to 70. Ask your doctor whether you need a supplement.
Is it OK to drink alcohol while trying to conceive?
The CDC says there is no known safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy or when you are trying to get pregnant, and that all types of alcohol carry the same risk.
How long before trying should I start the course?
Ideally about three months before, which fits the 12-week planner. Folic acid needs to start at least one month before conception, so it is worth beginning sooner rather than later.
Are the courses useful if I am already pregnant?
Much of the content still applies, but our pregnancy courses are a better fit once you are pregnant.
Official sources
Start the 12-week countdown
Fill in the supplement checklist today and book your preconception visit with your doctor.