Pregnancy and Childbirth
Learn about pregnancy and childbirth Back to top
Whether you are thinking about getting pregnant or already are expecting, our topics on pregnancy and childbirth 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:
Health Topics
- Abnormal Pap Test While Pregnant
- 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
- Antibiotics to Treat and Prevent Infection During Preterm Labor
- Antihistamines for Morning Sickness
- 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
- Bed Rest for Preterm Labor
- Birth Defects Testing
- Blood Tests for Preeclampsia
- Braxton Hicks Contractions
- Breast Changes During Pregnancy
- Breast Engorgement
- Breast-Feeding
- Breast-Feeding a Sick Baby
- Breast-Feeding After a C-Section
- Breast-Feeding and Your Milk Supply
- Breast-Feeding During Pregnancy
- Breast-Feeding More Than One Child
- Breathing Techniques for Childbirth
- Breech Position and Breech Birth
- Caffeine During Pregnancy
- Cancer During Pregnancy
- Cancer Treatment and Infertility
- Cataracts in Children
- Cervical Cerclage to Prevent Preterm Delivery
- Cervical Effacement and Dilatation
- Cesarean Section
- Chemical Exposure and Miscarriage
- Childbirth Afterpains
- Childbirth Classes
- Childbirth: Epidurals
- Childbirth: Forceps Delivery and Vacuum Extraction
- Childbirth: Laboring in Water and Water Delivery
- Childbirth: Opioid Pain Medicines
- Childbirth: Perineal Massage Before Labor
- Childbirth: Pudendal and Paracervical Blocks
- Childbirth: Reasons for Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth: Strep Infections During Delivery
- Childbirth: Vaginal Exams During Labor
- Congenital Heart Defects: Pregnancy
- Congenital Syphilis
- Continuous Support During Childbirth
- Contractions During Pregnancy: What to Expect
- Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening
- Depression During Pregnancy
- Diabetes: Preparing for Pregnancy
- Diet, Breast-Feeding, and Colic
- Dilation and Curettage (D&C) for Miscarriage
- Draining a Breast Abscess
- Eclampsia (Seizures) and Preeclampsia
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Ectopic Pregnancy: Getting Pregnant Again
- Ectopic Pregnancy: Managing Methotrexate Side Effects
- Emergency Contraception
- Emotional Changes During Pregnancy
- Environmental Illness in Children
- Episiotomy and Perineal Tears
- Exercise During Pregnancy
- Expectant Management in Ectopic Pregnancy
- External Cephalic Version (Version) for Breech Position
- Fallopian Tube Procedures for Infertility
- Fatigue During Pregnancy
- Fertility Problems
- Fetal Alcohol Effects: Behavior and Learning Problems
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Caring for Your Baby
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Signs That Your Child Needs to Be Evaluated
- Fever During Pregnancy
- Find Your Ovulation Day
- First-Trimester Exams and Tests
- First-Trimester Screening for Birth Defects
- Food Poisoning During Pregnancy
- Gamete and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT and ZIFT) for Infertility
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) During Pregnancy
- Gestational Diabetes
- Gestational Diabetes: Safe Exercise
- Gestational Diabetes: Target Blood Sugar Levels
- Getting Enough Folic Acid
- Ginger for Morning Sickness
- Group B Streptococcal Infections in Newborns
- Heart Valve Disease and Pregnancy
- HELLP Syndrome and Preeclampsia
- Hemorrhage in Multiple Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- High-Risk Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hospital Policies and Breast-Feeding
- Immunizations and Pregnancy
- In Vitro Fertilization for Infertility
- Indirect Coombs' Test
- Infertility Tests
- Infertility Treatment for Women With PCOS
- Infertility: Aging Egg Supply
- 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: Questions to Ask About Surgery
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Testing
- Infertility: Setting Limits on Treatment
- Infertility: Thinking About Adoption
- Infertility: Using Ultrasound in ART
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease During Pregnancy
- Insemination for Infertility
- Insemination Procedures for Infertility
- Insulin Resistance
- 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 for Infertility
- Intrauterine Fetal Blood Transfusion for Rh Disease
- Kangaroo Care for Premature Infants
- Labor and Delivery
- Labor Induction and Augmentation
- Laparoscopic Ovarian Drilling (Ovarian Diathermy) for PCOS
- Leg Cramps During Pregnancy
- Local Anesthesia for Childbirth
- Low-Lying Placenta
- Lupus and Pregnancy
- Lyme Disease During Pregnancy and Nursing
- Making Decisions About Very Premature Infants: Personal Stories
- Massage Therapy During Pregnancy
- Mastitis While Breast-Feeding
- Medicines During Pregnancy
- Meningitis and Group B Streptococci
- Miscarriage
- Miscarriage: Expectant Management for Incomplete Miscarriage
- Miscarriage: Vacuum Aspiration
- Missed or Irregular Periods
- Missed Periods and Endurance Training
- Molar Pregnancy
- Multifetal Pregnancy Reduction
- Multiple Pregnancy: Genetic Disorders and Birth Defects
- Multiple Pregnancy: Twins or More
- Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy
- Myomectomy
- Nausea or Vomiting During Pregnancy
- NICU: Communicating With the Staff
- Nutrition and Weight Gain During Pregnancy
- Obesity and Pregnancy
- Obstetric Panel
- Passing Tissue During Pregnancy
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Placenta Abruptio
- Placenta Previa
- Polyhydramnios in Multiple Pregnancy
- Postpartum Bleeding
- Postpartum Depression
- Postpartum: First 6 Weeks After Childbirth
- Post-Term Pregnancy
- Postural Management for Breech Position
- Preeclampsia
- Preeclampsia: Checkups and Monitoring
- Preeclampsia: Creatinine Clearance Test
- Preeclampsia: Expectant Management
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy After Age 35
- Pregnancy After Bariatric Surgery
- Pregnancy and Chronic High Blood Pressure
- Pregnancy and Epilepsy
- Pregnancy and High Blood Pressure: Questions for Your Doctor
- Pregnancy and Malaria: Reducing Your Risk
- Pregnancy and the Increased Risk of Developing Blood Clots
- Pregnancy: Avoiding Papaya
- Pregnancy: Belly, Pelvic, and Back Pain
- 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: Headaches and Preeclampsia
- 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 Exam Schedule
- Pregnancy: Relationship Changes
- Pregnancy: Stretch Marks, Itching, and Skin Changes
- Pregnancy: Tips for Dealing With Bed Rest
- 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
- Premature Infant: Signs of Overstimulation
- Premature Ovarian Failure
- Preparing for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Preterm Labor
- Preterm Labor
- Preterm Labor and Short Cervix
- Preterm Labor: Testing for Fetal Fibronectin
- Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (pPROM)
- Preventing Mastitis
- Problems After Delivery of Your Baby
- Quick Tips: Healthy Pregnancy Habits
- Quitting Smoking and Avoiding Smoke During Pregnancy
- Rh Sensitization During Pregnancy
- Risks of Multiple Pregnancy
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Schizophrenia and Pregnancy
- Screening for Gestational Diabetes
- Second-Trimester Exams and Tests
- Sex During Pregnancy
- Signs That Your Baby Is Getting Enough Breast Milk
- Sleep Problems During Pregnancy
- Sleep, Rest, and Breast-Feeding
- Smoking: Problems With Pregnancy
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Block for Childbirth
- Stillbirth
- Storing Breast Milk
- Subchorionic Hemorrhage
- Swelling During Pregnancy
- Symptoms of Pregnancy
- Third-Trimester Exams and Tests
- Tips for Pregnant Parents
- Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
- Toxoplasmosis Test for Fetus
- Travel During Pregnancy
- Treating Tuberculosis in Pregnant Women
- Triple or Quad Screening for Birth Defects
- Umbilical Cord Blood Banking
- Umbilical Cord Care
- Urinary Problems During Pregnancy
- Vacuum Aspiration for Molar Pregnancy
- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
- Vaginal Bleeding After Delivery
- Vaginal Bleeding During Pregnancy
- Vaginal Yeast Infection During Pregnancy
- Varicocele Repair for Infertility
- Vasectomy Reversal (Vasovasostomy)
- VBAC: Labor Induction
- VBAC: Participation During Birth
- VBAC: Type of Past Incision
- VBAC: Uterine Scar Rupture
- Vitamins B6 and B12 for Morning Sickness
Medical Tests
- Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) in Blood
- Amniocentesis
- Antisperm Antibody Test
- Biophysical Profile (BPP)
- Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
- Contraction Stress Test
- Electronic Fetal Heart Monitoring
- Estrogens
- Fertility Awareness
- Fetal Ultrasound
- Folic Acid Test
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone
- Home Pregnancy Tests
- Hormone Inhibin A
- Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)
- Luteinizing Hormone
- Nuchal Translucency Screening Test
- Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
- Postcoital Test
- Progesterone
- Rubella Test
- Semen Analysis
- Sperm Penetration Tests
- Toxoplasmosis Test
Medications
- Antenatal Corticosteroids for Fetal Lung Development
- Antibiotics for Mastitis While Breast-Feeding
- Bromocriptine or Cabergoline for Infertility
- Clomiphene for Infertility
- Gonadotropin Treatment for Infertility
- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) for Infertility
- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Analogues for Infertility
- Hydralazine for High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Indomethacin for Slowing Preterm Labor
- Insulin for Gestational Diabetes
- Labetalol for High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Magnesium Sulfate for Preterm Labor
- Magnesium Sulfate for Seizure Prevention During Pregnancy
- Metformin (Glucophage) for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Methotrexate for Ectopic Pregnancy
- Methyldopa for Chronic Hypertension During Pregnancy
- Nifedipine for High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
- Nifedipine for Preterm Labor
- Rh Immune Globulin
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Postpartum Depression
- Terbutaline for Slowing Preterm Labor
- Tricyclic Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression
Make a Wise Decision
- Breast-Feeding: Should I Breast-Feed My Baby?
- Depression: Should I Take Antidepressants While I'm Pregnant?
- Diabetes: Should I Get 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 an Early Fetal Ultrasound?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have an Epidural During Childbirth?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have CVS (Chorionic Villus Sampling)?
- Pregnancy: Should I Have the Maternal Serum Triple or Quadruple Test?
- Pregnancy: Should I Try Vaginal Birth After a Past C-Section (VBAC)?
Take Action
- Breast-Feeding: 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
Last Revised: November 7, 2011
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
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