Trying for a Baby? 7 Health Checks a Prescribing Pharmacist Wants You to do First
Trying to conceive can feel overwhelming, and social media is flooded with the latest, often unproven “miracle” hacks. Prescribing pharmacist and nutritional therapist Richa Puri says the safest first step is a calm health MOT, rather than another TikTok trend.
“Before we layer on supplements and gadgets, I want to know your body is safe, supported and ready for pregnancy,” she says, “These seven checks are where I start.”
1. Period pattern and pain
Very heavy, very painful, irregular or missing periods are red flags. “Don’t ignore bleeding that floods through pads, pain that stops you functioning, or cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35; they warrant proper checks,” says Richa.
2. Energy levels
Constant exhaustion, dizziness or getting out of breath walking upstairs aren’t just “being busy”. Richa thinks about anaemia, thyroid issues and blood sugar problems, and will usually arrange basic blood tests to rule these out.
3. Key blood tests and nutrients
Before pricey fertility panels, she asks for simple labs: full blood count, thyroid function, vitamin D, B12, folate and iron. “Correcting low vitamin D or iron can transform how you feel and support hormones,” she explains.
4. Existing conditions and medicines
PCOS, endometriosis, diabetes, depression and autoimmune conditions, plus the drugs used to treat them, all need reviewing. “As a prescriber, I need a full medication list, from antidepressants to inhalers, so we can tweak doses safely rather than stopping anything suddenly,” she says.
5. Supplements and ‘fertility blends’
Many women arrive taking multiple online fertility products. “Often they duplicate ingredients or haven’t been tested in pregnancy,” Richa warns. She usually strips things back to a good prenatal, then adds only what blood tests show is needed.
6. Mental health and stress
Richa also pays attention to how stressful TTC can feel day to day. She usually sees situation‑related stress rather than clinical depression, so will often suggest supportive tools like yoga, acupuncture, reflexology, breathwork, yoga nidra, journalling or time in nature, and will encourage someone to seek medical mental‑health support if she’s worried things are more serious.
7. Everyday lifestyle basics
Only once safety issues are covered, does she look at habits: regular balanced meals, moderate movement, cutting back on smoking and heavy drinking, and simple sleep routines.
“These are the foundations that support fertility,” says Richa. “Ideally, your first TTC (trying to conceive) step should be about getting these basics checked and looked after.
If you’re worried about how long it’s taking to conceive or feel swamped by conflicting advice, speaking to an independent prescribing pharmacist or GP who can look at the whole picture, from medications and supplements to blood tests and mental health, is a far safer starting point than relying on social media.
About Richa
Richa Puri is an independent prescribing pharmacist and registered nutritional therapist specialising in women’s health through the life stages. This includes conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis, thyroid issues and period health, fertility, perimenopause and menopause.