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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 exams and tests during each trimester, to labor 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
- After Childbirth: Coping and Adjusting at Home With Your Baby
- After Childbirth: Pelvic Bone Problems
- After Childbirth: Urination and Bowel Problems
- Alcohol or Drug Use During Pregnancy
- Anemia During Pregnancy
- Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Pregnancy
- Anxiety During and After Pregnancy
- Artificial Rupture of the Membranes
- Asthma During Pregnancy
- Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring
- Avoiding Mercury in Fish
- Baby Blues
- Back Pain During Pregnancy
- Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Tracking
- Bed Rest for Preterm Labor
- Bed Rest in Pregnancy
- Birth Defects Testing
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Breast Changes During Pregnancy
- Breast Engorgement
- Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding and Your Milk Supply
- Breastfeeding as Birth Control
- Breastfeeding: Choosing a Breast Pump
- Breastfeeding: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Drugs
- Breathing Techniques for Childbirth
- Breech Position and Breech Birth
- Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Cancer During Pregnancy
- Cancer Treatment and Infertility
- Cervical Cerclage
- Cervical Effacement and Dilatation
- Cervical Insufficiency
- Cesarean Section
- Childbirth Classes
- Childbirth Pain Relief Options
- Childbirth: I.V. Medicines
- Childbirth: Is Planning a C-Section a Good Choice?
- Childbirth: Laboring in Water and Water Delivery
- Childbirth: Perineal Massage Before Labor
- 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 Planning a Pregnancy, Pregnant, Recently Pregnant, or Breastfeeding
- Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening
- Dental Care During Pregnancy
- Depression During Pregnancy
- Doulas and Support During Childbirth
- Early Signs of Pregnancy
- Eclampsia (Seizures) and Preeclampsia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Emergency Contraception
- Episiotomy and Perineal Tears
- Exercise During Pregnancy
- External Cephalic Version for Breech Position
- Fallopian Tube Procedures for Infertility
- Fatigue During Pregnancy
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
- Find Your Ovulation Day
- First-Trimester Exams and Tests
- Folate Deficiency Anemia
- Food Poisoning During Pregnancy
- Gamete and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT and ZIFT)
- Genetics
- Gestational Diabetes
- Getting Enough Folic Acid (Folate)
- Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control
- Group B Streptococcal Infections in Newborns
- Heartburn During Pregnancy
- HELLP Syndrome
- Hepatitis C in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hospital Policies and Breastfeeding
- Immunizations and Pregnancy
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
- In-Clinic Abortion Care
- Infant Formulas
- Infertility
- Infertility Tests
- Infertility Treatment for Women With PCOS
- Infertility: Emotional and Social Support
- 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: When Are You Most Fertile?
- Interactive Tools
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- Intrauterine Fetal Blood Transfusion
- Labor and Delivery
- Labor Induction and Augmentation
- Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling (Ovarian Diathermy) for PCOS
- Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
- Low Amniotic Fluid
- Low-Lying Placenta Versus Placenta Previa
- Lupus and Pregnancy
- Making a Birth Plan
- Managing Emotional Changes During Pregnancy
- Massage Therapy During Pregnancy
- Mastitis While Breastfeeding
- Medicines During Pregnancy
- Milk Oversupply
- Miscarriage
- Missed or Irregular Periods
- Molar Pregnancy
- Multiple Pregnancy: Preterm Birth
- Multiple Pregnancy: Twins or More
- My Birth Plan
- Myomectomy
- Nitrous Oxide Pain Relief for Childbirth
- Nutrition During Pregnancy
- Obstetric Panel
- Oxytocin
- Partner Support During Pregnancy
- Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
- Physical Growth in Newborns
- Pill Abortion Care
- Placenta Previa
- Placental Abruption
- Polyhydramnios
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Postpartum Depression
- Postpartum: First 6 Weeks After Childbirth
- Post-Term Pregnancy
- Preeclampsia
- Preeclampsia: Creatinine Clearance Test
- Preeclampsia: Expectant Management
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy After Age 35
- Pregnancy After Weight-Loss (Bariatric) Surgery
- Pregnancy and Chronic High Blood Pressure
- Pregnancy and Epilepsy
- Pregnancy and Your Weight
- Pregnancy: Blood Clots
- Pregnancy: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Pregnancy: Changes in Bowel Habits
- Pregnancy: Chemicals, Cosmetics, and Radiation
- Pregnancy: Choosing a Doctor or Midwife
- Pregnancy: Deciding Where to Deliver
- Pregnancy: Dropping (Lightening)
- Pregnancy: First Prenatal Visit
- Pregnancy: Hair 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: Stretch Marks, Itching, and Skin Changes
- Pregnancy: Varicose Veins
- Pregnancy: Vegetarian Diet
- Pregnancy: Work and School Issues
- Pregnancy-Related Problems
- Premature (Preterm) Infant
- Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Preterm Labor
- Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes (pPROM)
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Problems After Delivery of Your Baby
- Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits
- Quitting Smoking or Vaping During Pregnancy
- Rh Sensitization During Pregnancy
- Screening for Gestational Diabetes
- Second-Trimester Exams and Tests
- Sex During Pregnancy
- Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough to Eat
- Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
- Smoking: Problems With Pregnancy
- Spinal and Epidural Pain Relief for Childbirth
- Staying Healthy Around Animals
- Stillbirth
- Subchorionic Hemorrhage
- Swelling During Pregnancy
- Third-Trimester Exams and Tests
- Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
- Travel During Pregnancy
- Umbilical Cord Blood Donation and Private Banking
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
- Vaginal Yeast Infection During Pregnancy
- Vitamin B6 for Morning Sickness
- 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
- Electronic Fetal Monitoring
- Endometrial Biopsy
- Estrogen Test
- Fertility Awareness
- Fetal Blood Sampling (FBS) During Pregnancy
- Fetal Fibronectin Test
- 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
- Nonstress Test
- Nuchal Translucency Screening Test
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)
- Progesterone Test
- Quad Screening for Birth Defects
- Rubella Test
- Sperm Penetration Tests
- Toxoplasmosis Test
- Breastfeeding: Should I Breastfeed My Baby?
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have Amniocentesis?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have an Epidural During Childbirth?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling)?
- Pregnancy: Should I Try Vaginal Birth After a Past C-Section (VBAC)?
- Breastfeeding: Planning Ahead
- Depression: Managing Postpartum Depression
- Feeding Your Infant
- Gestational Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- 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: April 30, 2024
Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.