Pregnancy

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Summary

You're going to have a baby! It's an exciting time, but it can also feel a bit overwhelming. You may have a lot of questions, including what you can do to give your baby a healthy start. Taking care of your health while you're pregnant will help your fetus develop into a healthy baby. To do that, it's important to:

Have regular visits with your health care provider. During prenatal care visits your provider checks your health and carefully monitors your pregnancy until you deliver a healthy baby. And if there are any health problems, your provider can find them early. Getting treatment right away can cure many problems and prevent others.
Eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Good nutrition during pregnancy includes eating a variety of:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Lean meats or other protein sources
- Low-fat dairy products
Take prenatal vitamins. During pregnancy, you need higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, such as folic acid and iron.
Be careful with medicines. Always check with your provider before you start or stop any medicine. This includes over-the-counter medicines and dietary or herbal supplements.
Stay active. Physical activity can help you stay strong, feel and sleep better, and prepare your body for birth. Check with your provider about which types of activities are right for you.
Avoid substances that could hurt your baby, including alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.

Your body will keep changing as your fetus develops until your baby is ready to be born. It can be hard to know whether a new symptom is normal or could be a sign of a problem. Check with your provider if something is bothering or worrying you.

Start Here

10 Early Signs of Pregnancy (Johns Hopkins Medicine)
During Pregnancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Staying Healthy during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Taking Care of You and Your Baby while You're Pregnant (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Week-by-Week Pregnancy Calendar (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

Morning Sickness: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Symptoms of Pregnancy: What Happens First (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
What Are Some Common Signs of Pregnancy? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

At-Home Medical Tests (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Prenatal Testing: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

Birth Control: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Living With

Cosmetics and Pregnancy (Food and Drug Administration)
Exercise during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Heat and Pregnancy (Environmental Protection Agency)
High-Impact Exercising during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (Maternal and Child Health Bureau)
Pregnancy and Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Sex during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation)
Sleeping during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Staying Healthy and Safe (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Stress (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF
Sunless and Self-Tanning during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Using Hair Dyes and Color during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Using Teeth Whiteners during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

Adoption: Considering Your Options and Making a Plan (Children's Bureau) - PDF
Birthing Classes (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Health Problems in Pregnancy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
How Can I Deal with Heartburn during Pregnancy? Also in Spanish
MRI Safety during Pregnancy (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
Oral Health and Pregnancy (Health Resources and Services Administration)
Partner's Guide to Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Pregnancy, Breastfeeding, and Bone Health (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish
Preventing Birth Defects (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Safety Messages for Pregnant, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding People During Natural Disasters and Severe Weather (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Vaccines for Pregnant Women (Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy)
What to Do When Your Pregnancy Is Unexpected (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
What to Expect from Your Employer When You're Expecting (Department of Labor)
X-Rays, Pregnancy and You (Food and Drug Administration)

Specifics

Back Pain during Pregnancy: 7 Tips for Relief (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Body Changes and Discomforts (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Common Discomforts of Pregnancy (March of Dimes Foundation)
Common Skin Conditions during Pregnancy (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Having Kids Later in Life: Healthy Pregnancies as You Age (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
Headaches during Pregnancy: What's the Best Treatment? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
How Your Fetus Grows during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Multiple Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
Pregnancy and Your Heart Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) - PDF
Pregnancy for Every Body (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Stages of Pregnancy (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish
Travel during Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

Images

Linea Nigra (VisualDX)

Videos and Tutorials

Cell division (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Test Your Knowledge

Morning Sickness Myths & Facts Quiz (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Pregnancy (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Female Reproductive System (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health Also in Spanish
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish
How to Find Find an Ob-Gyn (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
March of Dimes Foundation Also in Spanish

Children

Preparing Your Child for a New Sibling (Nemours Foundation)

Teenagers

Teenage Pregnancy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Aches and pains during pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Common symptoms during pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
HCG blood test - qualitative (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Morning sickness (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy and travel (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Pregnancy and work (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Problems sleeping during pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Skin and hair changes during pregnancy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish