The three months before pregnancy are as important as the nine months during it. Dr. Rajeev Agarwal's preconception programme prepares both partners biologically, medically, and genetically before conception begins.
Thalassaemia, SMA, and other inherited conditions can pass silently from carrier parents to children. Carrier screening before conception allows couples to make informed decisions, not emergency ones.
In India: thalassaemia carrier rate is 3–4% of the general population
PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid disease, and subclinical diabetes are frequently present at marriage but undetected. Each year of delay allows these conditions to progress and reduce fertility further.
Endometriosis: progressive and recurrent, symptoms don't always match severity
Valproate, isotretinoin, methotrexate, and several other common medications are contraindicated in pregnancy. A preconception visit ensures safe substitution well before conception, not in a panic at a positive test.
Valproate: 10× higher neural tube defect risk, requires 4–5 mg folate supplementation
Understand cycles, age, hormones, thyroid, weight, and fertility markers before you begin trying.
Learn which investigations matter now and which ones can wait, so you avoid confusion and over-testing.
Include male fertility, stress, sleep, nutrition, and shared decisions in one practical plan.
Know when to relax, when to seek help, and how to get IVF-ready if treatment becomes necessary.
The counselling approach is designed to reduce guesswork before pregnancy planning. These stories and photographs reflect the kind of clarity and reassurance couples look for.
"No unnecessary tests, no pressure, just clear guidance for our situation. The session helped us understand what to do next."
Mr & Mrs Gupta"We did not know small things like Vitamin D, stress, and sleep could affect fertility. The advice was easy to understand and follow."
Mr & Mrs Tanuja"We had doubts about when to start, what to eat, and what tests to do. The counselling made us feel prepared instead of anxious."
Mr & Mrs SoniThis is not a pressure-heavy treatment pitch. It is a structured session that helps you decide what matters for your body, your partner, and your timeline.
Six practical areas, designed to help you make calmer decisions before pregnancy.
Most preconception appointments end with a folic acid prescription. Dr. Agarwal's consultation is structured across eight clinical domains, both partners, both biologies, with evidence-based investigation and a personalised 90-day action plan.
Are you doing more than prescribing folic acid? The literature is clear, folic acid alone, without assessing immunity, genetics, chronic disease, and male health, leaves most of the risk unaddressed.
The ideal time for preconception counselling is before you start trying, not after six months of disappointment.
The research is unambiguous. What both partners eat, weigh, sleep, drink, and inhale in the three months before conception shapes not just whether pregnancy occurs, but the health trajectory of the child born.
Every unit of BMI above 30 reduces conception rate by 10%. For men, obesity reduces sperm concentration by 15–20% and increases DNA fragmentation by 30–40%.
Even 5% weight loss improves fertility outcomes.
Smoking accelerates egg depletion, increases miscarriage risk, and reduces sperm count, motility, and morphology. Hookah and sheesha carry greater risk than cigarettes.
Smoking women are significantly more likely to be infertile.
Consumption above 2 drinks/day is associated with infertility in both partners. For the zero trimester specifically, abstinence is the evidence-based recommendation.
The safest amount during the zero trimester is zero.
7–9 hours is the target. Women sleeping past midnight show increased infertility risk. Sleep disruption alters LH rhythms, melatonin levels, and insulin sensitivity, all critical for ovulation.
Late sleep disrupts ovulation at a hormonal level.
Mild to moderate exercise increases fertility by ~15%. For women with PCOS, vigorous aerobic and resistance training outperforms moderate exercise. Results require consistency over 50+ hours of training.
Sedentary lifestyle and extreme training are both harmful.
Plastics, synthetic fragrances, pesticides, and cosmetics containing BPA and phthalates disrupt hormonal signalling. EDC exposure is linked to PCOS, endometriosis, and early menopause.
What you put on your skin enters your bloodstream.
A clinical deep-dive into the everyday chemicals, in your plastics, cosmetics, air fresheners, and food, that interfere with reproductive hormones in both partners.
Everything couples are embarrassed to ask: timing of intercourse, frequency, positions, LH kits, ovulation apps, lubricants, and the evidence behind each. Clinically accurate, myth-free.
You and your partner complete a detailed preconception health profile, 12 domains covering your full medical, genetic, and lifestyle history. Bring any previous test results.
Dr. Agarwal conducts a structured clinical assessment across all 8 domains, both partners. Every relevant risk factor is identified and documented.
A targeted investigation panel is ordered based on your history, not a generic screen. Results are interpreted in the context of your specific situation.
You leave with a written personalised plan: your supplement programme, investigations, vaccinations, lifestyle changes, and follow-up schedule. Not generic advice, yours specifically.
Senior IVF Specialist with 25+ years of experience and 10,000+ patient journeys guided.
Bring your cycle details, medical history, and current questions. The goal is to understand what to check now, what can wait, and how to prepare before pregnancy.
