Preconception
Complete Preconception Course
A 12-week preparation plan for you and your partner, covering supplements, lifestyle and the questions to take to your GP.
NZ$37.99Buy
Getting ready for pregnancy: courses for the months before
What to start, stop and ask about before you try for a baby, from folic acid and iodine to a pre-pregnancy GP visit, following New Zealand advice.
- 2 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Folic acid helps protect a developing baby from neural tube defects such as spina bifida, and it matters most in the very first weeks, often before you know you are pregnant. In New Zealand the standard advice is a 0.8 mg (800 microgram) folic acid tablet every day, starting at least four weeks before you try to conceive and continuing until 12 weeks of pregnancy. Some people are advised to take a higher 5 mg dose on prescription, for example after a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, with diabetes or with certain epilepsy medicines. Your GP will tell you which is right for you.
Iodine is also important for a baby's brain development, and New Zealand advice is an iodine tablet during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Ask your GP when to start, and check first if you have a thyroid condition. Vitamin D is not routinely recommended for everyone in New Zealand, but some people at higher risk of low levels are advised to take it. The guidelines also say to stop drinking alcohol if you are trying to get pregnant.
Our two preconception courses, written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, bring this together with checklists, trackers and a sheet of questions for a pre-pregnancy GP appointment. Once you are pregnant, the next step is to find a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC), usually a midwife, as early as you can.
All preconception courses
Preconception
Folic Acid, Iodine and Vitamin D Before Pregnancy
Folic acid, iodine and vitamin D made clear, including who may need a higher folic acid dose and what to ask your GP or pharmacist.
NZ$24.99Buy
Which preconception course suits you
- Complete Preconception Course covers the whole picture over 12 weeks: supplements, food, alcohol, smoking and vaping, activity, sleep, medicines and the GP visit, with a planner to keep you on track.
- Folic Acid, Iodine and Vitamin D Before Pregnancy is shorter and focuses on the supplements: what each one does, the New Zealand doses, how to read a supplement label and who may need a higher dose.
Partners are welcome to work through either course too; many of the lifestyle steps are easier when you make them together.
What the preconception tools do
- Pre-pregnancy checklist: vaccinations, medicines, cervical screening and other things to sort before you try.
- Supplement checklist and daily tracker: folic acid, iodine and, if your GP advises it, vitamin D, ticked off each day.
- Higher-dose checker: lists the situations where a GP may suggest 5 mg folic acid, so you know to ask; it does not decide for you.
- GP appointment prep sheet: your questions and health history in one place.
- Lifestyle tracker and 12-week planner: alcohol-free weeks, activity and meals, step by step.
When to talk to your GP
See your GP before you start trying if you:
- have a long-term condition such as diabetes, epilepsy, a thyroid condition or high blood pressure
- take any regular medicines; do not stop them without advice
- have had a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect
- have very irregular periods or no periods
Also see your GP if you have been trying for a year without becoming pregnant, or sooner if you are 35 or older. For health advice at any time, call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.
Preconception courses: your questions
Why is the New Zealand folic acid tablet 0.8 mg?
The standard folic acid tablet used in New Zealand is 0.8 mg (800 micrograms), and it is the dose usually advised for people planning a pregnancy. Your GP can prescribe it, and will tell you if you need the higher 5 mg dose instead.
Do I need iodine as well as folic acid?
New Zealand advice is to take an iodine tablet during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Ask your GP when to start. If you have a thyroid condition, check with your doctor before taking iodine.
Some bread has folic acid added. Is that enough?
Folic acid added to some bread helps, but it does not replace the daily tablet in the weeks before and early in pregnancy. Keep taking the tablet as advised.
Should I take vitamin D before pregnancy?
Vitamin D is not recommended for everyone in New Zealand. Your GP may suggest it if you are at higher risk of low levels, for example if you have darker skin or get very little sun on your skin.
Is it okay to drink alcohol while we are trying?
The New Zealand guidelines advise stopping drinking alcohol if you could be pregnant, are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant, because there is no known safe level in pregnancy.
What does a pre-pregnancy GP visit cover?
It is a chance to review medicines, long-term conditions, vaccinations, cervical screening and supplements before you try. The course prep sheet helps you bring your questions and history with you.
Official sources
Start with the supplement checklist
Tick off what you already take, note your questions, and book the GP visit with the prep sheet in hand.