Play it safe: counsel before conception: health and legal issues.(Obstetrics)

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Preconception counseling promotes healthier pregnancies and better outcomes, and can also provide legal protection for physicians, Dr. Martin E. Olsen said at the annual Southern Obstetric and Gynecologic Seminar.

Courts have stated that individuals have a right to be born as a "whole functioning human being," and in at least one case this principle has led to a Finding for a plaintiff who claimed she was not provided with adequate preconception information, said Dr. Olsen of East Tennessee State University, Johnson City.

Furthermore, statute of limitations rules generally begin to apply once the "malpractice" is discovered, he noted.

He listed nine main goals for preconception assessments, education, and intervention:

* Genetic risk assessment. The potential mother--and father, if possible--should be evaluated for genetic conditions and risk factors that may affect a fetus. They should be advised about any risks that are discovered, and about their options for fetal assessment following conception.

* Discouraging unhealthy habits. Women who may become pregnant should be educated about the risks of alcohol use, smoking, caffeine intake, poor nutrition, and drug use, and about their potential adverse effects on a fetus.

* Male partner evaluation. Paternal factors such as promiscuity, bisexuality, and intravenous drug use, which pose risks to mother and fetus, should be addressed, and education about protection against such health risks should be provided.