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Pregnancy and Childbirth
Learn about pregnancy and childbirth

Whether you are thinking about getting pregnant or already are expecting, our topics on pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding can answer your questions. You can find information ranging from how to find out your due date, to examinations and tests during each trimester, to labour and delivery, and much more.
Browse our pregnancy and childbirth topics, or start with one of the following:
- Abnormal Pap Test While Pregnant
- Abortion
- Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy
- Acupressure for Morning Sickness
- After Childbirth: Coping and Adjusting
- After Childbirth: Pelvic Bone Problems
- After Childbirth: Urination and Bowel Problems
- Alcohol Effects on a Fetus
- Alcohol or Drug Use During Pregnancy
- Anemia During Pregnancy
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Pregnancy
- Asthma During Pregnancy
- Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Avoiding Mercury in Fish
- Baby Blues
- Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Charting
- Bedrest for Preterm Labour
- Bedrest in Pregnancy
- Birth Defects Testing
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Breast Changes During Pregnancy
- Breast Engorgement
- Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding After a C-Section
- Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery
- Breastfeeding and Your Milk Supply
- Breastfeeding as Birth Control
- Breastfeeding During Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding Your Newborn and an Older Child
- Breastfeeding: Choosing a Breast Pump
- Breastfeeding: Exercise and Weight Loss
- Breastfeeding: How to Use a Breast Pump
- Breastfeeding: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
- Breathing Techniques for Childbirth
- Breech Position and Breech Birth
- Caesarean Section
- Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Cancer During Pregnancy
- Cancer Treatment and Infertility
- Cervical Cerclage
- Cervical Effacement and Dilatation
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Charting Your Basal Body Temperature
- Childbirth Afterpains
- Childbirth Classes
- Childbirth Planning: How to Partner With Your Doctor
- Childbirth: Epidurals
- Childbirth: Labouring in Water and Water Delivery
- Childbirth: Opioid Pain Medicines
- Childbirth: Perineal Massage Before Labour
- Childbirth: Pudendal Block
- Childbirth: Strep Infections During Delivery
- Cholestasis of Pregnancy
- Congenital Syphilis
- Contractions During Pregnancy: What to Expect
- COVID-19: Advice if You're Pregnant, Recently Pregnant, or Breastfeeding
- Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening
- Dental Care During Pregnancy
- Depression During Pregnancy
- Diabetes: Preparing for Pregnancy
- Doulas and Support During Childbirth
- Eclampsia (Seizures) and Pre-Eclampsia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Emergency Contraception
- Emotional Changes During Pregnancy
- Epidural Anesthesia
- Episiotomy and Perineal Tears
- Exercise During Pregnancy
- External Cephalic Version for Breech Position
- Fallopian Tube Procedures for Infertility
- Fatigue During Pregnancy
- Fertility Problems
- Fetal Monitoring During Labour
- Fever During Pregnancy
- Find Your Ovulation Day
- First-Trimester Examinations and Tests
- Folate Deficiency Anemia
- Foodborne Illness During Pregnancy
- Gamete and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT and ZIFT)
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) During Pregnancy
- Genetics
- Gestational Diabetes
- Getting Enough Folic Acid (Folate)
- Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
- Ginger for Morning Sickness
- Group B Streptococcal Infections in Newborns
- HELLP Syndrome and Pre-Eclampsia
- High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hospital Policies and Breastfeeding
- Immunizations and Pregnancy
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- Indirect Coombs Test
- Infertility Tests
- Infertility Treatment for Women With PCOS
- Infertility: Emotional and Social Concerns
- Infertility: Ethical and Legal Concerns
- Infertility: Factors That Affect Treatment Success
- Infertility: Problems With Fallopian Tubes
- Infertility: Problems With Ovulation
- Infertility: Problems With the Uterus and Cervix
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Medicine or Hormone Treatment
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Testing
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Treatment
- Infertility: Thinking About Adoption
- Insemination for Infertility
- Insemination Procedures
- Interactive Tool: From Embryo to Baby in 9 Months
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Due Date?
- Interactive Tool: When Are You Most Fertile?
- Interactive Tools
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- Intrauterine Fetal Blood Transfusion
- Labour and Delivery
- Labour Induction and Augmentation
- Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling (Ovarian Diathermy) for PCOS
- Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
- Local Anesthesia for Childbirth
- Low Amniotic Fluid
- Low-Lying Placenta
- Lupus and Pregnancy
- Massage Therapy During Pregnancy
- Mastitis While Breastfeeding
- Medical Abortion Care
- Medicines During Pregnancy
- Milk Oversupply
- Miscarriage
- Missed or Irregular Periods
- Molar Pregnancy
- Multiple Pregnancy: Twins or More
- Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy
- My Birth Plan
- Myomectomy
- Nausea or Vomiting During Pregnancy
- Nutrition During Pregnancy
- Obesity and Pregnancy
- Obstetric Panel
- Oxytocin
- Partner Support During Pregnancy
- Passing Tissue During Pregnancy
- Physical Growth in Newborns
- Placenta Previa
- Placental Abruption
- Polyhydramnios
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Postpartum Depression
- Post-Term Pregnancy
- Postural Management for Breech Position
- Pre-Eclampsia
- Pre-Eclampsia: Checkups and Monitoring
- Pre-Eclampsia: Creatinine Clearance Test
- Pre-Eclampsia: Expectant Management
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy After Age 35
- Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery
- Pregnancy and Chronic High Blood Pressure
- Pregnancy and Epilepsy
- Pregnancy: Belly, Pelvic, and Back Pain
- Pregnancy: Blood Clots
- Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Pregnancy: Changes in Bowel Habits
- Pregnancy: Changes in Feet and Ankles
- Pregnancy: Chemicals, Cosmetics, and Radiation
- Pregnancy: Choosing a Health Professional
- Pregnancy: Deciding Where to Deliver
- Pregnancy: Dropping (Lightening)
- Pregnancy: First Prenatal Visit
- Pregnancy: Hair Changes
- Pregnancy: Hand Changes
- Pregnancy: Healthy Weight Gain
- Pregnancy: Hemorrhoids and Constipation
- Pregnancy: Hot Tub and Sauna Use
- Pregnancy: Kick Counts
- Pregnancy: Nosebleeds and Bleeding Gums
- Pregnancy: Pelvic and Hip Pain
- Pregnancy: Prenatal Visit Schedule
- Pregnancy: Relationship Changes
- Pregnancy: Stretch Marks, Itching, and Skin Changes
- Pregnancy: Vaginal Discharge and Leaking Fluid
- Pregnancy: Varicose Veins
- Pregnancy: Vegetarian Diet
- Pregnancy: Ways to Find Your Due Date
- Pregnancy: Work and School Issues
- Pregnancy-Related Problems
- Premature Delivery in Multiple Pregnancy
- Premature Infant
- Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Preterm Labour
- Preterm Labour and Short Cervix
- Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (pPROM)
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Problems After Delivery of Your Baby
- Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits
- Quitting Smoking and Avoiding Smoke During Pregnancy
- Rh Sensitization During Pregnancy
- Rupture of the Membranes
- Schizophrenia and Pregnancy
- Screening for Gestational Diabetes
- Second-Trimester Examinations and Tests
- Sex After Childbirth
- Sex During Pregnancy
- Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk
- Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
- Smoking: Problems With Pregnancy
- Spinal Block for Childbirth
- Staying Healthy Around Animals
- Stillbirth
- Subchorionic Hemorrhage
- Surgical Abortion Care
- Swelling During Pregnancy
- Symptoms of Pregnancy
- Third-Trimester Examinations and Tests
- Tips for Pregnant Parents
- Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
- Travel During Pregnancy
- Umbilical Cord Blood Donation and Private Banking
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Urinary Problems During Pregnancy
- Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC)
- Vaginal Bleeding During Pregnancy
- Vaginal Yeast Infection During Pregnancy
- VBAC: Labour Induction
- VBAC: Participation During Birth
- VBAC: Uterine Scar Rupture
- Week 12 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 16 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 20 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 24 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 28 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 32 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 36 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 40 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Week 8 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Your Baby's Movements During Pregnancy
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) Test
- Amniocentesis
- Antisperm Antibody Test
- Biophysical Profile (BPP) Test
- Blood Type Test
- Cell-Free DNA Test
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
- Contraction Stress Test
- Coombs Test
- Endometrial Biopsy
- Estrogen Test
- Fertility Awareness
- Fetal Blood Sampling (FBS) During Pregnancy
- Fetal Fibronectin Test
- Fetal Heart Monitoring
- Fetal Ultrasound
- First-Trimester Screening for Birth Defects
- Folate Test
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Test
- Home Pregnancy Tests
- Hormone Inhibin A Test
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) Test
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Test
- Non-Stress Test
- Nuchal Translucency Screening Test
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
- Progesterone Test
- Quad Screening for Birth Defects
- Rubella Test
- Sperm Penetration Tests
- Toxoplasmosis Test
- Vaginal Exam for Preterm Labor
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Fertility Problems: Should I Be Tested?
- Fertility Problems: Should I Have a Tubal Procedure or In Vitro Fertilization?
- Infertility: Should I Have Treatment?
- Miscarriage: Should I Have Treatment to Complete a Miscarriage?
- Multiple Pregnancy: Should I Consider a Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction?
- Pregnancy: Should I Bank My Baby's Umbilical Cord Blood?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have Amniocentesis?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling)?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have Screening Tests for Birth Defects?
- Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead
- Depression: Managing Postpartum Depression
- Gestational Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Counting Carbs
- Gestational Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Giving Yourself Insulin Shots
- Pregnancy and Diabetes: Planning for Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Dealing With Morning Sickness
Current as of: October 6, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
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