So it may seem like quite a common and accepted thing to head to the doctors for a checkup when you start to plan for a baby. You want to get your overall health checked, make sure your nutrient stores are filled and have confidence that you will be heading into pregnancy the healthiest you can be.
And we are huge advocates for getting a health check before falling pregnant but what you may not be so familiar with is how your results should be interpreted. This can be quite different depending on who you speak too e.g. a GP vs Naturopath/Nutritionist
We here at WWC headquarters like to read blood results between the lines, meaning we like your results to be at their OPTIMAL, not just within the average reference ranges. This is the case for any life stages but especially when it comes to preconception and beyond. Reference ranges are based on the average population whom get the blood test, not what levels promote health the most effectively. So it’s easy to see how they could become quite skewed over time.
Why is it important to have bloods within “optimal” range?
~ symptoms of deficiency can occur before a person falls below the normal reference range (see the infographic for a visual)
~ heading into pregnancy you want your health optimised, you do not want to have results that are just within normal range as with the rapid growth in pregnancy you will be likely knocked out of range.
One thing that the modern medicine protocol is quite often missing is the preventative care measures, many wait for the result to actually be abnormal or for disease to actually occur before stepping in for treatment. We advocate for health optimisation and preventative care, stopping or slowing any potential conditions or deficiencies as much as possible and part of this is through client education.
So it’s time to take charge of your own health ~ find out what you should be getting checked and learn to interpret your own blood tests with our easy to follow guide on Tests to Consider in your Preconception Phase ~ available on our store or as part of our Conscious Conception online course.
Written by Karina Marschall
Women’s Health Naturopath
Women’s Wisdom Co
