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Family Planning Specialist

Mmereole Health

Family Medicine & Pediatrics located in West New York, NJ

Many women think that getting birth control is all there is to family planning. But Robert Mmereole, MD, and Paulina Mmereole, NP, at Mmereole Health, take a broad approach to family planning that includes making sure you’re healthy before getting pregnant, providing birth control that fits your lifestyle, and helping you prepare for your newborn. To learn more about their family planning services or to schedule an appointment, call the office in West New York, New Jersey, or use the online booking feature.

Family Planning Q & A

What are comprehensive family planning services?

Comprehensive family planning encompasses the medical care you need to prepare for the future. To provide the best care, your provider at Mmereole Health talks with you about when (or if) you might want to become pregnant.

They also evaluate your overall health to see if you have any lifestyle or chronic health concerns that would negatively affect a future pregnancy. Treating potential problems before you get pregnant helps you have a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The following are a few examples of problems you should treat before you get pregnant or as soon as possible to maintain your wellness.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

The team at Mmereole Health screens for STDs when you suspect you may have an infection and before or during pregnancy. You can pass STDs to your baby during delivery, and they may cause premature birth, or even lead to stillbirth. Untreated STDs can also affect your fertility.

Diabetes

Managing diabetes is always critical for your overall health. But, if you have uncontrolled diabetes when you get pregnant, you have a higher risk of early delivery or having a baby with birth defects.

Substance abuse

Taking street drugs before and/or during pregnancy increases your risk of having a miscarriage and leads to many potential health problems for your baby, including low birth weight, heart defects, and birth defects. The team at Mmereole Health offers confidential drug testing. They draw your blood in the office, so all your testing is done in one place.

What types of birth control are available?

The biggest part of family planning is finding a contraceptive that works for your health, lifestyle, and future pregnancy plans. The following are a few examples of the most commonly used contraceptives.

  • Intrauterine device (IUD): Hormone- and copper-containing IUDs (nearly 100% effective)
  • Nexplanon®: Hormone-containing implant (99% effective)
  • NuvaRing®: Hormone-containing vaginal ring (98% effective)
  • Birth control pills or hormone-containing patches (91-94% effective)

IUDs and Nexplanon are inserted once and protect you from pregnancy for 3-10 years, depending on which product you use.

What is newborn preparation?

As a married couple with children, the Mmereoles understand the challenges you face getting the health care and the information you need. For that reason, they offer a specialized service, newborn preparation, for expecting parents with questions and concerns about caring for their baby.

One of the challenges new parents face is deciding about vaccines. They work closely with you, helping you understand the pros and cons so you can make an informed choice.

If you need family planning, birth control, or newborn preparation, call Mmereole Health or schedule an appointment online.