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●
Be at your best. Aim to be at a healthy weight and in
good shape before you get pregnant. It’s also important
to take 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid every day
to help prevent certain birth defects.
● 
●
See your doctor before you get pregnant. Your doctor
can help make sure you’re as healthy as possible before
becoming pregnant. If you have a chronic condition,
such as diabetes or high blood pressure, you can work
with your doctor to get it under control. Your doctor
can also make sure you are up-to-date with any needed
immunizations.
● 
●
Seek good prenatal care. Once you’re pregnant,
regular checkups mean your doctor can monitor your
pregnancy and spot potential problems early on.
● 
●
Make health a habit. Eat a variety of nutritious
foods. Don’t smoke, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs.
Make sure your doctor knows about and OKs any
medication—prescription, herbal or over-the-counter—
that you take.
For more on having a healthy pregnancy, go to
www.marchofdimes.com
.
If you have questions or need a physician re-
ferral, call the registered nurses at Los Robles
Hospital & Medical Center’s call center at
877-888-5746
. The call center is available 24/7—
any time is the right time to call if you have a question
about any health issue.
F
a m i l y
H
e a l t h
Primary care physicians:
Your
partners
in health
A cough
that
won’t go away. A swollen ankle. A sore
wrist. These could signal something as benign as a com-
mon cold or a mild sprain or as serious as cancer.
It’s nice to know you can take these concerns to some-
one you trust—someone who knows more than just
your name. That person is your primary care physician
(PCP). PCPs can respond to health issues ranging from
the straightforward to the more complicated. And they
are already familiar with you and your health care needs.
Not just any doctor
When you have a health issue,
your PCP is the first person you call. They are doctors
who specialize in treating the whole person.
For example, they can:
● 
●
Offer preventive care.
● 
●
Answer medical questions with sound advice that’s
specific to your health.
● 
●
Manage care for chronic conditions, such as diabetes
or heart disease.
● 
●
Refer you to a specialist, such as a neurologist, surgeon
or oncologist, when you need to see one.
● 
●
Coordinate your health care, lab tests and medications
among multiple health care providers.
Choosing a PCP
A good relationship with your PCP
can have a positive effect on your health and health care.
If you don’t already have a PCP, make choosing the right
one a priority. Look for someone with whom you feel
comfortable and you believe you can trust.
Be sure to choose the right doctor for your age and
health history. Often, PCPs are internists, family physi-
cians or pediatricians.
Family physicians treat people of all ages, from in-
fants to older adults; pediatricians specialize in children’s
health; and internists focus on health issues common
just to adults.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians; American College of Physicians
Older moms can have both
You’re a little older,
a little wiser. You’ve thought
it through and decided it’s time to start a family or add
to the one you already have. But you’re over 35. Will it be
safe? Can you have a healthy pregnancy?
Absolutely. More and more women are choosing to
have children later in life, and most of them will have
healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, reports the
March of Dimes.
Know the risks
There are some risks to having a baby
later in life. It may be difficult to get pregnant, for one.
You are also at increased risk for certain problems, in-
cluding having a miscarriage and developing high blood
pressure or gestational diabetes.
Babies born to women over 35 are more likely to have
certain genetic or chromosome-related birth defects, such
as Down syndrome. And you are also more likely to have
multiples—twins or more!
Still, doctors can carefully monitor your pregnancy and
prevent or treat many problems that may arise.
Be prepared
The best thing you can do to ensure a
healthy pregnancy is to plan and prepare.
The March of Dimes and other experts offer the fol-
lowing advice:
To find a primary care
physician, call our free physician
referral line at 877-888-5746.
Healthy pregnancy, healthy baby
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