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Pregnancy & Parenting Categories
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Planning Your Pregnancy
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Fertility
- Ovulation and Fertility Pregnancy Planning
- Ovulation and Transport of Egg
- Find Your Ovulation Day
- Infertility: Problems With Ovulation
- Ovulation
- Superovulation
- Interactive Tool: When are you most fertile?
- Infertility
- Infertility: Emotional and Social Support
- Pregnancy after Age 35
- Infertility: Ethical and Legal Concerns
- Infertility: Factors That Affect Treatment Success
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Testing
- Infertility: Problems With the Man's Reproductive System
- Infertility: Problems With Fallopian Tubes
- Infertility: Problems With the Uterus and Cervix
- Cancer Treatment and Infertility
- Fertility Problems: Should I Be Tested?
- Infertility Tests
- Fertility Drugs
- Infertility
- Fertility Problems: Should I Have a Tubal Procedure or In Vitro Fertilization?
- Insemination for Infertility
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection for Infertility
- Infertility Treatment for Women With PCOS
- In Vitro Fertilization for Infertility
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Treatment
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Medicine or Hormone Treatment
- Infertility: Questions to Ask About Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Infertility: Should I Have Treatment?
- Insemination Procedures for Infertility
- Gamete and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer for Infertility
- Varicocele Repair for Infertility
- Fallopian Tube Procedures for Infertility
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
- Luteinizing Hormone
- Progesterone
- Sperm Penetration Tests
- Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Charting
- Your Health When Planning to Become Pregnant
- Video About Planning a Pregnancy
- Ending a Pregnancy
- Adoption
- Planning for Maternity and Parental Leave
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Fertility
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Pregnancy
- Healthcare Providers During Pregnancy
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Your Health During Pregnancy
- Dental Care During Pregnancy
- Immunizations and Pregnancy
- Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits
- Massage Therapy during Pregnancy
- Sex During Pregnancy
- Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
- Medicines During Pregnancy
- Swelling During Pregnancy
- Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring
- Getting Help for Perinatal Depression
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Pregnancy: Dealing With Morning Sickness
- Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Bedrest for Preterm Labour
- Abnormal Pap Test While Pregnant
- Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy
- Acupressure for Morning Sickness
- Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Pregnancy After Weight-Loss (Bariatric) Surgery
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Exercise During Pregnancy
- Fatigue During Pregnancy
- Fever During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Pregnancy: Changes in Bowel Habits
- Pregnancy: Healthy Weight Gain
- Pregnancy: Hemorrhoids and Constipation
- Pregnancy: Hot Tub and Sauna Use
- Pregnancy: Pelvic and Hip Pain
- Pregnancy: Ways to Find Your Due Date
- Estrogens
- External Cephalic Version (Version) for Breech Position
- Symptoms of Pregnancy
- Sexually Transmitted Infections During Pregnancy
- Pre-Eclampsia: Checkups and Monitoring
- Pre-Eclampsia: Expectant Management
- Gestational Diabetes
- Insulin Injection Areas for Gestational Diabetes
- Gestational Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Counting Carbs
- Gestational Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar
- Gestational Diabetes: Giving Yourself Insulin Shots
- Ginger for Morning Sickness
- Heartburn During Pregnancy
- Nausea or Vomiting During Pregnancy
- Urinary Problems During Pregnancy
- Health Conditions and Pregnancy
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Body Changes During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Varicose Veins
- Pregnancy: Hand Changes
- Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
- Managing Emotional Changes During Pregnancy
- Breast Changes During Pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Hair Changes
- Pregnancy: Belly, Pelvic and Back Pain
- Pregnancy: Stretch Marks, Itching, and Skin Changes
- Pregnancy: Changes in Feet and Ankles
- Pregnancy: Vaginal Discharge and Leaking Fluid
- Interactive Tool: From Embryo to Baby in 9 Months
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Your First Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests In the First Trimester
- Embryo and Fetal Development In the First Trimester
- Your First Trimester - Video
- Mothers' Physical Changes in the First Trimester
- Normal Pregnancy: First Trimester
- Week 8 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 8 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 12 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 12 weeks of pregnancy
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Your Second Trimester
- Mothers' Physical Changes During the Second Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests in the Second Trimester
- Video About Your Second Trimester
- Normal Pregnancy: Second Trimester
- Week 16 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside /
- Fetal development at 16 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 20 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 20 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 24 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside /
- Fetal development at 24 weeks of pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Kick Counts
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Your Third Trimester
- Check-ups and Tests in the Third Trimester
- Fetal Development in the Third Trimester
- Mothers' Physical Changes in the Third Trimester
- Prenatal Classes in the Third Trimester
- Video about Your Third Trimester
- Writing Your Birth Plan or Wishes
- Normal Pregnancy: Third Trimester
- Week 28 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 28 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 32 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 32 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 36 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 36 weeks of pregnancy
- Week 40 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside
- Fetal development at 40 weeks of pregnancy
- Pregnancy: Dropping (Lightening)
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Risks and Complications During Pregnancy
- High-risk Pregnancy
- Rh Sensitization during Pregnancy
- Post-Term Pregnancy
- Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding
- Intrauterine Fetal Blood Transfusion for Rh Disease
- Miscarriage
- Abruptio Placenta
- Anemia During Pregnancy
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Pregnancy /
- Asthma During Pregnancy
- Bedrest in Pregnancy
- Eclampsia (Seizures) and Pre-Eclampsia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Functional Ovarian Cysts /
- High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling for PCOS
- Low Amniotic Fluid
- Low-Lying Placenta Versus Placenta Previa
- Miscarriage: Should I Have Treatment to Complete a Miscarriage?
- Molar Pregnancy
- Passing Tissue During Pregnancy
- Placenta Previa
- Polyhydramnios
- Pre-Eclampsia
- Special Health Concerns During Pregnancy
- Subchorionic Hemorrhage
- Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
- Vaginal Bleeding During Pregnancy
- Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
- Emotional Health and Support During Pregnancy
- Safety During Pregnancy
- Alcohol and Other Drug Use During Pregnancy
- Twins and Other Multiples
- Preparing for Your Newborn
- Interactive Tool: What Is Your Due Date?
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Labour and Birth
- Labour and Delivery
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Planning Your Delivery
- Childbirth Classes
- Childbirth: Labouring in Water and Water Delivery /
- Childbirth: Perineal Massage Before Labour
- Choosing Where to Give Birth Hospital or Home
- Doulas and Support During Childbirth
- Making a Birth Plan
- Packing for Birth at a Hospital
- Pregnancy: Deciding Where to Deliver
- Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC)
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Stages of Labour
- Cervical Cerclage to Prevent Preterm Delivery
- First Stage of Labour - Early Phase
- First Stage of Labour Active Phase
- First Stage of Labour Transition Phase
- Information on Fourth Stage of Labour
- Information on Second Stage of Labour
- Information on Third Stage of Labour
- Preterm Labour and Short Cervix
- Preterm Labour
- Preterm Labour: Testing for Fetal Fibronectin
- Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes (pPROM)
- Telling Pre-Labour and True Labour Part
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During Labour
- Breathing Techniques for Childbirth
- Caesarean Section
- Cervical Effacement and Dilatation
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Childbirth: Epidurals
- Childbirth: Opioid Pain Medicines
- Childbirth: Pudendal and Paracervical Blocks
- Childbirth: Strep Infections During Delivery
- Comfort Positions Labour and Birth
- Epidural Anesthesia
- Epidural and Spinal Anesthesia
- Episiotomy and Perineal Tears
- Epistiotomy Vacuum and Forceps During Labour and Birth
- Fetal Monitoring During Labour HY
- Labour Induction and Augmentation
- Local Anesthesia for Childbirth
- Pain Relief Options Labour and Birth
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Postpartum: First 6 Weeks After Childbirth
- Postural Management for Breech Position
- Practicing Breathing Techniques for Labour
- Spinal Block for Childbirth
- Stillbirth
- VBAC: Labour Induction
- VBAC: Participation During Birth
- VBAC: Uterine Scar Rupture
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After Labour and Care for New Moms
- After Childbirth: Coping and Adjusting
- After Childbirth: Pelvic Bone Problems
- After Childbirth: Urination and Bowel Problems
- Childbirth Afterpains
- Help with Urination After Giving Birth
- Managing Bowel Movements After Pregnancy
- Mom and Baby Staying Together
- New Moms and Abuse
- Postpartum Depression
- Problems After Delivery of Your Baby
- Vaginal Care After Giving Birth
- Video About Labour and Birth
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Parenting Babies (0-12 months)
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New Parents
- Alcohol and Smoking After Pregnancy
- Baby Blues
- Baby's Daily Needs: What to Expect
- Bonding With Your Baby
- Coping Strategies to Avoid Harming a Baby
- Coping When Your Baby Cries A Lot
- Crying: Tired or Overstimulated
- Depression: Managing Postpartum Depression
- Fitness: Staying Active When You Have Young Children
- Infant Crying
- Parenting With Your Partner
- Quick Tips: Babyproofing Your Home
- Sex After Childbirth
- Support Teams for New Parents
- Taking Care of Yourself When Your Baby Is Fussy
- Tips for Soothing Babies
- Ways to Comfort a Crying Baby
- Your Body After Pregnancy
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Newborns
- Bathing and Skin Care For Newborn Babies
- Bonding With Your Newborn
- Cognitive Growth in Newborns
- Drug Withdrawal in Newborns
- Early Days with Your Baby
- Early Disease Screening of Newborns
- First 6-8 Weeks at Home with Baby - Video
- Group B Streptococcal Infections in Newborns
- Helping Your Newborn Learn
- Immunizations for Premature Infants
- Important Paperwork for Newborns
- Jaundice in Newborns (Hyperbilirubinemia)
- Language Development in Newborns
- NICU: Communicating With the Staff
- Newborn Blood Spot Card Screening
- Newborn Rashes and Skin Conditions
- Physical Growth in Newborns
- Premature (Preterm) Infant
- Premature Infant: Safe Travel With Your Baby
- Sensory and Motor Growth in Newborns
- Tips for Diapering a Newborn Baby
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Ways to Comfort a Baby in the Hospital
- What to Expect When You Have an Extremely Premature Infant
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Baby Care
- Birthmarks
- Biting
- Caring for More Than One Baby
- Caring for a Baby's Nails
- Circumcision
- Circumcision: Should I Keep My Son's Penis Natural?
- Cleaning Your Young Child's Natural (Uncircumcised) Penis
- Cleft Lip
- Cleft Palate
- Club Foot
- Common Types of Birthmarks
- Diaper Rash
- Infant Massage
- Oral Care For Your Baby
- Positional Plagiocephaly
- Quick Tips: Getting Baby to Sleep
- Screening for Hearing Problems
- Separation Protests: Helping Your Child
- Thumb-Sucking Versus Pacifier Use
- Tongue-Tie
- Using Soothers and Stopping When it is Time
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Breastfeeding
- A Video on Breastfeeding Positions
- A Video on Breastfeeding and Skin-to-Skin Contact
- A Video on Hand Expressing Breastmilk
- Breast Engorgement
- Breast Surgery and Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding After Breast Surgery
- Breastfeeding After a C-Section
- Breastfeeding During Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding Multiple Infants
- Breastfeeding Positions
- Breastfeeding With Inverted Nipples
- Breastfeeding Your Newborn and an Older Child
- Breastfeeding a Sick Baby
- Breastfeeding and Your Milk Supply
- Breastfeeding at Work
- Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding: Baby's Poor Weight Gain
- Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead
- Breastfeeding: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
- Breastfeeding: Waking Your Baby
- Breastfeeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
- Common Breastfeeding Concerns
- Common Breastfeeding Positions
- Coping With Thrush When You’re Breastfeeding
- Experiencing Let-Down Reflex
- FAQs About Breastfeeding
- Get Started on Expressing Breastmilk
- Getting Comfortable Breastfeeding in Public
- Hospital Policies and Breastfeeding
- Latching Your Baby - Video
- Learning Basics of Breastfeeding
- Learning to Latch
- Mastitis While Breastfeeding
- Medications and Herbal Products for Breastfeeding Moms
- Medicine Use While Breastfeeding
- Milk Oversupply
- Nipple Shields for Breastfeeding Problems
- Oxytocin
- Partner Support for Breastfeeding
- Plugged Milk Ducts When You're Breastfeeding
- Poor Let-Down While Breastfeeding
- Preventing Mastitis
- Pumping Breast Milk
- Quick Tips: Successful Breastfeeding
- Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk
- Sleep, Rest, and Breastfeeding
- Storing Breast Milk
- Storing and Using Breastmilk
- Under or Over Production of Milk During Breastfeeding
- Vitamin D Supplements for Breastfeeding Babies
- What you need to Know About Supplementing Baby Formula
- Your Milk Supply
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Feeding Your Baby
- Alternative Feeding Methods for Newborns
- Baby Feeding Cues - Video
- Bottle-Feeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop
- Burping a Baby
- Choosing Baby Bottles and Nipples
- Cleft Palate: Feeding Your Baby
- Combining Breastfeeding and Formula-Feeding
- Cup-Feeding Baby With Breast Milk or Formula
- Feeding Schedule for Babies
- Feeding Your Child Using Division of Responsibility
- Feeding Your Infant
- Feeding Your Premature Infant
- Getting Started and Feeding Cues
- How Often and How Long to Feed
- Introducing Solid Foods to Your Baby
- Learn More Before You Supplement Formula
- Safe Drinking Water - Your Baby's First Year
- Safe Water for Mixing Infant Formula
- Signs of a Good Feed
- Spitting Up
- Weaning
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Baby Health
- Abdominal Gas and Colic
- Basic Dental Care From Birth to 16 Years
- Bowel Movements in Babies
- Cataracts in Children
- Chronic Lung Disease in Infants
- Colic Diary
- Colic
- Colic: Harmful Treatments
- Comforting a Child Who Has a Respiratory Illness
- Common Health Concerns for Babies First Year
- Cough Symptoms in Children
- Cradle Cap
- Croup
- Croup: Managing a Croup Attack
- Crying Child That Is Not Acting Normally
- Dehydration: Drinking Enough Fluids
- Dental Care From Birth to 6 Months
- Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip
- Developmental Problems: Testing
- Failure to Thrive
- Gastroesophageal Reflux in Babies and Children
- Health and Safety, Birth to 2 Years
- Healthy Hearing and Vision For Babies
- Immunization, Your Baby's First Year
- Orchiopexy for Undescended Testicle
- Reducing Biting in Children Ages 8 to 14 Months
- Reducing Biting in Teething Babies
- Teething Products
- Teething: Common Concerns
- Treating Asthma in Babies and Younger Children
- Tongue-tie and tethered oral tissues
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Baby Growth and Development
- Babies' social and emotional development
- Children's Growth Chart
- Cognitive Development 9-12 mos
- Cognitive Development First 6-9 Mos
- Emotional and Social Growth in Newborns
- Growth and Development Milestones
- Growth and Development, Newborn
- Importance of Tummy Time for Babies' Development
- Speech and Language Milestones, Birth to 1 Year
- Stimulate Your Baby's Learning
- Tooth Development in Children
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Baby Safety
- Baby's Sleep Position and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- Baby Proofing Your Home First Year
- Choking Rescue for Babies
- Safer Sleep for My Baby
- Crib Safety
- Safe Chairs for Baby's First Year
- Safer Sleeping
- Safety at Home for Baby's First Year
- Shaken Baby Syndrome
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Sun Safety Babies for their First Year
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New Parents
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Parenting Toddlers (12-36 months)
- Mealtime and Your Toddler
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Caring for Your Toddler
- Acetaminophen Use in Young Children
- Breath-Holding Spells
- Breath-Holding Spells: Keeping a Record
- Brushing and Flossing a Child's Teeth
- Care for Toddlers' Colds and Coughs
- Crying, Age 3 and Younger
- Dental Care and Teething in Toddlers
- Egocentric and Magical Thinking
- Hearing Health for Toddlers
- Ibuprofen Use in Young Children
- Managing Your Toddler's Frustrating Behaviours
- Positive Parenting
- Preparing Your Toddler for Health Care Visits
- Preventing Breath-Holding Spells in Children
- Promoting Positive Behaviour in Your Toddler
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Toddler Growth and Development
- Cognitive Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Growth and Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Language Development 12-18 Months
- Language Development 18-24 Months
- Language Development 24-30 Months
- Milestones for 2-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 3-Year-Olds
- Physical Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Physical Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 1 to 12 Months
- Sensory and Motor Development, Ages 12 to 24 Months
- Speech and Language Development: Helping Your 1- to 2-Year-Old
- Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 1 to 3 Years
- Toddler Play Activities
- Toddlers Language Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 18-24 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 24-30 Months
- Toddlers Physical Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 12-18 Months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 18-24 months
- Toddlers Social and Emotional Development 30-36 Months
- Toddlers social and Emotional Development 24-30 months
- Toilet Training
- Toilet Training: Knowing When Your Child Is Ready
- Understanding your Toddlers Development
- Toddler Safety
- Toddler Sleep
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Parenting Preschoolers (3-5 years)
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Caring for Your Preschooler
- Daytime Accidental Wetting
- Dental Care: 3 Years to 6 Years
- Health and Safety, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Preschoolers: Building Self-Control
- Preschoolers: Building Social Skills
- Preschoolers: Building a Sense of Security
- Preschoolers: Encouraging Independence
- Preschoolers: Helping Your Child Explore
- Preventing Tooth Decay in Young Children
- Temper Tantrums
- Temper Tantrums: Keeping a Record
- Thumb-Sucking: Helping Your Child Stop
- Your Child and the Dentist
- Good Sleep Habits: 10 Tips
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Preschooler Growth and Development
- Emotional Development, Ages 2 to 5 Years
- Encouraging Language Development in Your Preschooler
- How Reading Helps Language Development
- How to Teach Your Child by Example
- Milestones for 4-Year-Olds
- Milestones for 5-Year-Olds
- Speech Problems: Normal Disfluency
- Speech and Language Delays: Common Misconceptions 49
- Speech and Language Development
- Speech and Language Development: Red Flags
- Speech and Language Milestones, Ages 3 to 5 Years
- Stuttering
- Thumb-Sucking
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Caring for Your Preschooler
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Parenting School-Age Children (6-11 years)
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Caring for Your School-Age Child
- Bedwetting
- Building Kids Resilience
- Childhood Fears and Exposure to Violence
- Conversations that Teach Children Resilience
- Establishing Limits With Your School-Age Child
- Help Your School-Age Child Develop Social Skills
- Helping Your School-Age Child Learn About the Body
- Quick Tips: Using Backpacks Safely
- Sample School Plan
- Self-Esteem, Ages 6 to 10
- Back to School
- School-Age Children Growth and Development 6-11
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Caring for Your School-Age Child
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Parenting Teens (12-18 years)
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Teen Growth and Development
- Adolescent Sensory and Motor Development
- Cognitive Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Emotional and Social Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years
- Growth and Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Menarche
- Menstruation: Not Having a Period by Age 15
- Milestones for Ages 11 to 14
- Milestones for Ages 15 to 18
- Physical Development, Ages 11 to 14 Years /
- Physical Development, Ages 15 to 18 Years
- Puberty Issues
- Teenage Sleep Patterns
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Caring for Your Teen
- Conversations that Teach Resilience
- Help Your Working Teen Balance Responsibilities and Set Priorities
- Helping Adolescents Develop More Mature Ways of Thinking
- Helping Your Child Transition Into Middle School or Junior High
- Helping Your Teen Become a Safe Driver
- How to Get Back on Track After Conflict with Teenagers
- How to Start a Conversation with Teens About Alcohol
- Medical Checkups for Adolescents
- Talking to Your Adolescent or Teen About Problems
- Teen Relationship Abuse
- Teen Substance Use: Making a Contract With Your Teen
- Teenage Substance Use: Choosing a Treatment Program
- Teenage Tobacco Use
- Teens With Diabetes: Issues for Parents
- Tips for Parents of Teens
- Your Teen's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
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Teen Growth and Development
- Parenting Young Adults (19 years and over)
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Keeping Your Child Safe
- Child Safety: Preventing Burns
- Child Safety: Preventing Drowning
- Child Safety: Preventing Child Abduction
- Child Safety: Fires
- Protecting Your Child From Infections
- Child Safety: Pets
- Child Safety: Preventing Falls
- Child Safety: Streets and Motor Vehicles
- Child Safety: Washing Toys to Prevent Germs
- Preventing Choking in Small Children
- Preventing Children's Injuries From Sports and Other Activities
- Quick Tips: Helping Your Child Stay Safe and Healthy
- Child Safety: Air Pollution
- Child Safety: Bathing
- Child Safety: Bicycles and Tricycles
- Child Safety: Drowning Prevention in Pools and Hot Tubs
- Child Safety: Guns and Firearms
- Child Safety: Strollers and Shopping Carts
- Head Injuries in Children: Problems to Watch For
- Head Injury, Age 3 and Younger
- Object Stuck in a Child's Airway
- Playground Safety
- Preventing Choking
- Quick Tips: Safely Giving Over-the-Counter Medicines to Children
- Preventing Poisoning in Young Children
- Staying Healthy Around Animals
- Thinking About Child Safety
- Abuse and Neglect
- Rule of Nines for Babies and Young Children
- Bullying and Online Safety
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Relationships and Emotional Health
- Helping Your Child Build Inner Strength
- Helping Your Child Build a Healthy Body Image
- Symptoms of Depression in Children
- Active Listening
- Aggression in Youth
- Appreciating Your Child's Personality
- Family Life Cycle
- Family Meetings
- Recognizing and Developing Your Children's Special Talents
- Sibling Rivalry: Reducing Conflict and Jealousy
- Violent Behaviour in Children and Teens
- Growth and Development: Helping Your Child Build Self-Esteem
- Effective Parenting: Discipline
- Corporal Punishment
- Talking With Your Child About Sex
- Helping Kids Handle Peer Pressure
- Substance Use Problems: How to Help Your Teen
- Helping Your Child Avoid Tobacco, Drugs, and Alcohol
- Stress in Children and Teenagers
- Stress Management: Helping Your Child With Stress
- Family Therapy for Depression in Children
- Comparing Symptoms of Normal Moodiness With Depression in Children
- Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Depression in Children and Teens
- Warning Signs of Suicide in Children and Teens
- Taking Care of Yourself When You Have a Child With Physical, Emotional, or Behavioural Problems
- Taking Care of Yourself When Your Child Is Sick
- Grief: Helping Children With Grief
- Grief: Helping Children Understand
- Grief: Helping Teens With Grief
- ADHD: Taking Care of Yourself When Your Child Has ADHD
- Healthy Habits For a Healthy Life
- Baby's Best Chance
- Toddler's First Steps
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Birth Control
- Birth Control for Teens
- Birth Control Hormones: The Pill
- Birth Control Hormones: The Shot
- Birth Control Hormones: The Mini-Pill
- Birth Control Hormones: The Patch
- Birth Control Hormones: The Ring
- Breastfeeding as Birth Control
- Birth Control: How to Use a Diaphragm
- Birth Control
- Birth Control: Myths About Sex and Pregnancy
- What to Do About Missed or Skipped Birth Control Pills
- Birth Control Pills: Missed or Skipped Periods
- How Birth Control Methods Prevent Pregnancy
- How to Take Birth Control Pills
- Birth Control: How to Use the Patch
- Birth Control: How to Use the Ring
- Hormonal Birth Control: Risk of Blood Clots
- Effectiveness Rate of Birth Control Methods
- Birth Control
- Diaphragm for Birth Control
- Spermicide for Birth Control
- Contraceptive Sponge for Birth Control
- Cervical Cap for Birth Control
- Birth Control: Pros and Cons of Hormonal Methods
- Intrauterine Device (IUD) for Birth Control
- Personal Stories About Choosing Birth Control Methods
- Hormonal Methods of Birth Control
- Barrier Methods of Birth Control
- Tubal Implants for Permanent Birth Control
- Birth Control Patch
- How Pregnancy (Conception) Occurs
- Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
- Male Condoms
- Emergency Contraception
Condition Basics
What is pre-eclampsia?
Pre-eclampsia is high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy that may affect the mother's organs or the baby. Severe pre-eclampsia can lead to dangerous seizures (eclampsia). Pre-eclampsia usually goes away after the baby is delivered. But symptoms may last a few weeks or more and can get worse (or show up) after delivery.
What causes it?
Experts don't know the exact cause of pre-eclampsia. It seems to start because the placenta doesn't grow the usual network of blood vessels deep in the uterine wall. This leads to poor blood flow in the placenta. It's not clear what causes this placenta problem and why the mother then develops high blood pressure.
What are the symptoms?
Mild pre-eclampsia usually doesn't cause symptoms. But it may cause rapid weight gain and sudden swelling of the hands and face. Severe pre-eclampsia causes symptoms such as a very bad headache and trouble seeing and breathing. It also can cause belly pain and decreased urination.
How is it diagnosed?
Pre-eclampsia is usually found during a routine prenatal visit. That's one reason it's important to go to all of your prenatal visits. You need to have your blood pressure checked often. Your blood pressure is measured at each prenatal visit. A sudden increase in blood pressure often is the first sign of a problem.
You'll also be weighed and have a urine test at each visit to look for signs of pre-eclampsia. Women who are at high-risk for pre-eclampsia may have other tests too.
If tests suggest that you have pre-eclampsia, you'll be carefully checked for the rest of your pregnancy. Your baby's health also will be closely watched. The more severe your condition is, the more often you'll need testing. This might range from once a week to daily.
How is pre-eclampsia treated?
If you have mild pre-eclampsia that isn't quickly getting worse, home care may be enough. You may only have to reduce your level of activity, watch how you feel, and have frequent office visits and testing.
For severe pre-eclampsia, you may need to be in the hospital. You may get medicines to lower your blood pressure and to prevent seizures. You also may get medicine to help prepare your baby's lungs for birth.
The only "cure" for pre-eclampsia is having the baby. But symptoms may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Your doctor will try to deliver your baby when the baby has grown enough to be ready for birth. But sometimes a baby has to be delivered early to protect the health of the mother or the baby. If this happens, your baby will get special care for premature babies.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
What Increases Your Risk
Some things increase your risk of pre-eclampsia. For example, your risk is higher if you:
- Have chronic (ongoing) high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, certain autoimmune diseases, or diabetes.
- Had high blood pressure in a past pregnancy, especially before week 34.
- Had pre-eclampsia before.
- Have a family history of pre-eclampsia.
- Were very overweight when your baby was conceived.
- Are pregnant with more than one baby (such as twins or triplets).
- Are pregnant for the first time ever.
- Are older than 35.
Prevention
Lowering your blood pressure helps to prevent pre-eclampsia. If you have chronic high blood pressure, you can lower your blood pressure before pregnancy by:
- Exercising.
- Eating a diet low in sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Staying at a healthy weight.
When you are pregnant, regular checkups are important. They let the doctor find and treat problems early. With prompt treatment, you are more likely to prevent severe and possibly life-threatening pre-eclampsia.
To reduce your risk for pre-eclampsia, your doctor may recommend that you take low-dose aspirin during the second and third trimesters of your pregnancy.
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Symptoms
Mild pre-eclampsia usually doesn't cause symptoms. But it may cause symptoms such as:
- Swelling of the hands and face that doesn't go away during the day.
- Rapid weight gain—more than 1 kg (2 lb) a week or 3 kg (6 lb) a month.
Severe pre-eclampsia can cause:
- A severe headache that will not go away with medicine such as acetaminophen.
- Blurred or dimming vision, spots in the visual field, or periods of blindness.
- Decreased urination—less than 500 mL (16 oz) in 24 hours.
- Lasting belly pain or tenderness, especially on the upper right side.
- Bleeding from a cut or injury that lasts longer than usual.
- Trouble breathing, especially when lying flat.
- HELLP syndrome, a very serious liver disorder.
Severe pre-eclampsia can lead to seizures (eclampsia). Eclampsia is life-threatening for both mother and baby.
What Happens
Pre-eclampsia can be mild or severe. It may get worse gradually or quickly. It affects your blood pressure, and can also affect your placenta, liver, blood, kidneys, and brain.
Delivering the baby and placenta is the only "cure" for pre-eclampsia. If your condition becomes dangerous enough that delivery is necessary but you don't go into labour, your doctor will induce labour. Or they will deliver the baby with surgery (caesarean section). Symptoms of pre-eclampsia may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Rarely, symptoms of pre-eclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
After you've had pre-eclampsia, you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. This may be because the same things that cause pre-eclampsia also cause heart and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor on living a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting the checkups you need.
Complications of pre-eclampsia
When you have pre-eclampsia, it's very important to get treatment. That's because both you and your baby could suffer life-threatening problems that involve your:
- Blood pressure. The blood vessels increase their resistance against blood flow, raising your blood pressure. Very high blood pressure keeps your baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. Also, blood volume doesn't increase as much as it should during pregnancy. This can affect the baby's growth and well-being.
- Placenta. The blood vessels of the placenta don't grow deep into the uterus as they should. And they don't widen as they normally would. So they can't provide normal blood flow to the baby.
- Liver. Poor blood flow to the mother's liver can cause liver damage. Liver impairment is related to the life-threatening HELLP syndrome, which requires emergency medical treatment.
- Kidneys. When affected by pre-eclampsia, the kidneys can't work as well as they should to remove waste and extra water.
- Brain. Vision impairment, persistent headaches, and seizures (eclampsia) can develop. Eclampsia can lead to maternal coma and fetal and maternal death. This is why women with pre-eclampsia are often given medicine to prevent eclampsia.
- Blood. Low platelet levels in the blood are common with pre-eclampsia. In rare cases, a potentially life-threatening blood-clotting and bleeding problem develops along with severe pre-eclampsia. This condition is called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). After delivery, DIC goes away. In the meantime, you may be given a medicine (clotting factor), blood transfusion, or platelet transfusion.
Problems for the baby
The earlier in the pregnancy that pre-eclampsia starts and the more severe it gets, the greater the risk of preterm birth. A preterm birth can cause problems for the newborn.
An infant born before 37 weeks may have trouble breathing because of immature lungs (respiratory distress syndrome).
A newborn affected by pre-eclampsia may also be smaller than normal. This is because the baby can't get enough nutrition due to poor blood flow through the placenta.
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When to Call a Doctor
Share this information with your partner or a friend. They can help you watch for warning signs.
Call 9-1-1 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You passed out (lost consciousness).
- You have a seizure.
Seek medical care now if you are pregnant and start to have symptoms of pre-eclampsia, such as:
- Blurred vision or other vision problems.
- Frequent headaches that are getting worse or a persistent headache that does not respond to non-prescription pain medicine.
- Pain or tenderness in your belly, especially in the upper right section.
- Weight gain of 1 kg (2 lb) or more over a 24-hour period.
- Shoulder, neck, and other upper body pain (this pain starts in the liver).
If you have mild high blood pressure or mild pre-eclampsia, you may not have any symptoms. It's important to see a health professional regularly throughout your pregnancy.
Symptoms such as heartburn or swelling in the legs and feet are normal during pregnancy. They usually aren't symptoms of pre-eclampsia. You can discuss these symptoms with your doctor or midwife at your next scheduled prenatal visit. But if swelling occurs along with other symptoms of pre-eclampsia, contact your doctor or midwife right away.
Examinations and Tests
Pre-eclampsia is usually found during regular prenatal checkups. That's one reason it's important to go to all of your prenatal visits. Tests are done at each visit to check for pre-eclampsia, including these tests:
- Blood pressure reading.
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Blood pressure is always watched closely during pregnancy.
- Urine test.
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Too much protein in the urine is a sign of kidney damage caused by pre-eclampsia.
- Weight measurement.
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Rapid weight gain can be a sign of pre-eclampsia.
Women who are at high risk for pre-eclampsia may also have other tests, including:
- Blood tests.
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Blood tests may be done to check for problems such as HELLP syndrome and kidney damage.
- A creatinine clearance test.
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This is done to check how well the kidneys are working. It requires both a blood sample and a 24-hour urine collection.
- A 24-hour urine collection test.
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This is done to check protein in the urine.
Follow-up testing
If tests suggest that you have pre-eclampsia, you'll be carefully checked for the rest of your pregnancy. Your baby's health also will be closely watched. The more severe your pre-eclampsia is, the more often you'll need testing. This might range from once a week to daily.
- Tests for the mother.
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You may have a physical examination to check for signs that pre-eclampsia is getting worse. You may also have:
- Blood tests to check for blood problems and kidney damage.
- Creatinine clearance test.
- Tests for the baby.
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Tests commonly used include:
- Electronic fetal heart monitoring to record the baby's heart rate.
- Fetal ultrasound to check the baby, the placenta, and the amount of amniotic fluid.
- Doppler ultrasound to see how well the placenta is working.
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Treatment Overview
If you have mild pre-eclampsia that isn't quickly getting worse, home care may be enough. You may only have to reduce your activity, watch how you feel, and have frequent office visits and testing.
For severe pre-eclampsia, or for pre-eclampsia that is quickly getting worse, you may need to be treated in the hospital. This often includes taking medicine and keeping a close watch on you and your baby.
Severe pre-eclampsia is treated with magnesium sulfate. This medicine can stop a seizure and can prevent seizures.
Delivery
The only "cure" for pre-eclampsia is having the baby. But symptoms may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Your doctor will try to deliver your baby when the baby has grown enough to be ready for birth. But sometimes a baby has to be delivered early to protect the health of the mother or the baby. If this happens, your baby will get special care for premature babies.
- If you are near delivery or have severe pre-eclampsia, your doctor will plan to deliver your baby as soon as possible.
- If you are less than 34 weeks pregnant and a 24- to 48-hour delay is possible, you will probably get corticosteroid medicine. This can help prepare your baby's lungs for birth.
A vaginal delivery is usually safest for the mother. It is tried first if the mother and the baby are both stable. A caesarean section (C-section) is needed if pre-eclampsia is quickly getting worse or the baby can't safely handle labour contractions.
Care after birth
If you have moderate to severe pre-eclampsia, your risk of seizures (eclampsia) continues for the first 24 to 48 hours after childbirth. So you may keep getting magnesium sulfate for 24 hours after delivery.
If your blood pressure is still high after delivery, you may be given a blood pressure medicine. You will have regular checkups with your doctor.
If you didn't have high blood pressure before pregnancy, your blood pressure is likely to return to normal a few days after delivery.
Rarely, symptoms of pre-eclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
After having pre-eclampsia, you have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor to build heart-healthy habits and get the checkups you need.
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Self-Care
- Take and record your blood pressure at home if your doctor tells you to.
- Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure monitor to be sure that it is accurate and that the cuff fits you. Also ask your doctor to watch you to make sure that you are using it right.
- You should not eat, use tobacco products, or use medicine known to raise blood pressure (such as some nasal decongestant sprays) before you take your blood pressure.
- Avoid taking your blood pressure if you have just exercised. Also avoid taking it if you are nervous or upset. Rest at least 15 minutes before you take your blood pressure.
- You may need to take medicine to manage your blood pressure. Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
- Do not smoke. Quitting smoking will help improve your baby's growth and health. If you need help quitting, talk to your doctor about stop-smoking programs and medicines. These can increase your chances of quitting for good.
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet that has lots of fruits and vegetables.
- You can keep track of your baby's health by checking your baby's movement. A common method for this is to note the length of time it takes to count 6 movements (such as kicks, flutters, or rolls). Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you don't feel at least 6 movements in a 2-hour period. Track your baby's movements once each day. Bring this record with you to each prenatal visit.
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Medicines
If you have pre-eclampsia, you may take medicine to:
- Control high blood pressure.
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Lowering high blood pressure doesn't prevent pre-eclampsia from getting worse. That's because high blood pressure is only a symptom of pre-eclampsia. It's not a cause. Your doctor may recommend blood pressure medicine if your blood pressure reaches high levels that may be dangerous to you or your baby.
- Prevent seizures.
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Magnesium sulfate is usually started before delivery and continued for 24 hours after delivery for women who have:
- Pregnancy-related seizures (eclampsia).
- Moderate to severe pre-eclampsia.
- Speed up your baby's lung development.
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When possible, steroid medicine is given to the mother before a premature birth. It helps the baby's lungs to mature over a 24-hour period. This lowers the baby's risk of breathing problems after birth.
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Related Information
Credits
Current as of: November 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Sarah Marshall MD - Family Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine
Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine
William Gilbert MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Current as of: November 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Sarah Marshall MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine & William Gilbert MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine
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