Preconception Planning During Covid-19

Throughout the Covid pandemic and lockdown, I have emphasized the silver lining it can be for fertility. Of course, it feels like a huge roadblock for our patients who were unable to continue with acupuncture and Western treatment but the shut down can bring an opportunity to re-evaluate so many different stressors and obstacles that arise during the fertility journey. In fact, it can lead to preconception planning! This is the process of preparing for a pregnancy and becoming a parent. It is not simply buying the right house, the right car, cribs and strollers, but really an opportunity to prepare your body, mind and spirit for parenthood. In terms of physical changes, it takes months for good habits to yield results in the body. Therefore modifying dietary habits is important to begin during the preconception planning process. From a Chinese medical (CM) perspective, this means reducing or eliminating dairy, sugar and caffeine while adding in more cooked vegetables and warm foods. The next step is the mental aspect. If you thought diet was difficult, this is a step further! This is the opportunity to evaluate your own mental habits and self talk. Some people take this opportunity to evaluate where their desire to have children comes from and examine its priority in the scheme of life. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, creating a spiritual connection with the universe is the best way to prepare for pregnancy and parenthood. Having faith and connection with a higher power is necessary during the fertility journey as a guide through some possibly dark days ahead. My favorite theory about conception is that the spirit of the child chooses its parent. Therefore, to become a part, your spirit must be like an open vessel to call in the spirit of the future child. These steps are life changing in so many ways, and Covid-19 has given so many of us a chance to slow down and figure out how to implement these changes in our lives.