Preconception and Pregnancy

Family Resource Brief

Here you will find links to resources about care, services, and support before and during pregnancy and websites about preconception and pregnancy. A separate section lists websites for pregnant teens.

Care, Services, and Support

• American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM): Find a Midwife. Directory of midwifery practices with one or more ACNM-member.
  
  
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Physician Directory. Directory of ACOG members.
  
  
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): Find a Health Center. Directory of federally funded health centers that provides free or low-cost care, including prenatal care.
  
  
• International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA): Certified Member's Directory. Directory of ICEA-certified educators and doulas.
  
  
• Lamaze International: Find a Lamaze Childbirth Class. Directory of Lamaze-certified childbirth educators.
  
  
• Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB): Prenatal Services. Hotline number to help pregnant women and mothers with newborns identify free or low-cost services for themselves and their babies. Telephone: (800) 311-BABY (311-2229); (800) 504-7081 (Spanish).
  
  
• National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service (Perinatal Hotline). Clinical consultation and advice on the management of HIV in pregnant women, HIV testing in pregnancy, the care of HIV-exposed infants, and a referral to local perinatal HIV specialists. Telephone 24 hours a day: (888) 448-8765.
  
  
• Office of Population Affairs: Find a Family Planning Clinic. Directory for Title X–funded health clinics that provide family planning and reproductive health care to people in the United States who have low incomes or are uninsured.
  
  
• Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS): Find a Teratogen Information Service. National toll-free telephone number for questions about exposures to medications, herbal products, infections, vaccines, illicit substances, pesticides, and other common exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Telephone: (866) 626-OTIS (626-6847) (English or Spanish).
  
  
• Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA): Find a Health Center. Directory of Planned Parenthood health centers that offer sexual and reproductive health care for women, men, and teens.
  
  
• Also see Text4baby and the Community Services Locator: An Online Directory for Finding Community Services for Children and Families.
  

Websites

• American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM): myMidwife.org. Information for women about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, and infant care.
  
  
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Patient Page. Fact sheets in a question-and-answer format about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
  
  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Pregnancy. Information in English and Spanish about healthy pregnancy and healthy pregnancy planning to prevent birth defects. Topics include folic acid, smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy, vaccinations, flu and pregnancy, medications, infections, HIV, West Nile virus, diabetes, high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, environmental and workplace exposures, genetics and family history, natural disasters, travel, and violence.
  
  
• Childbirth Connection: For Women and Families. Information about pregnancy and its stages, pictures of the week-by-week development of a baby in utero, quotes from mothers about childbirth, and information about the maternity care system and the rights of childbearing women. Presents links to recommended pregnancy resources and a list of recommended pregnancy books.
  
  
• First Candle: New and Expectant Parents. Information about having a healthy baby, breastfeeding, baby care, and ways to reduce the risk of stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Use Kicks Count! materials in English and Spanish to help monitor your baby's movement during pregnancy and know what to do if you are worried.
  
  
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Pregnancy. Information about medications and food safety for pregnant women.
  
  
• HealthCare.gov: Pregnant Women and the Affordable Care Act. Facts about how the Affordable Care Act expands options for health insurance and makes them more affordable for pregnant women. Information about finding coverage and low-cost care and getting the most out of health insurance.
  
  
• March of Dimes (MOD): Pregnancy. Information in English and Spanish about preconception and prenatal care, multiple pregnancy, pregnancy complications and dangers, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, and newborn care. Includes a blog and video and audio clips.
  
  
• Mothers of Supertwins (MOST). Information and support during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood for families who have or are expecting triplets or higher numbers of babies.
  
  
• National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB). Fact sheets, published interviews with experts, and information in a question-and-answer format about preconception planning, prenatal care, and infant care. Use HMHB's new service:
  
  Text4baby. Free weekly messages by cell phone in English and Spanish to help pregnant women and new parents through pregnancy and their baby's first year.
  
  
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 2010. The Pregnant Woman's Guide to Buckling Up. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). [Brochure].
  
  
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS): Life's Greatest Miracle. Video clip tracing human development from embryo to newborn.
  
  
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Center for Maternal and Infant Health: Resources for Women, Babies, and Families. Fact sheets in English and Spanish about pregnancy decision-making, prenatal testing and screening, prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, and serious pregnancy and fetal conditions.
  
  
• womenshealth.gov: Pregnancy. Information in English and Spanish about preparing for pregnancy, what happens during each of the three trimesters of pregnancy, pregnancy complications, labor, childbirth, and getting ready for baby and infant care. Includes information about having twins, triplets and other multiples.
  

Websites for Pregnant Teens

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG): Having a Baby. Answers to questions for teens about having a healthy baby.
  
  
• Center for Young Women's Health: Pregnancy. Answers to questions in English and Spanish about pregnancy and pregnancy choices.
  
  
• TeensHealth: Having a Healthy Pregnancy. Information in English, Spanish, and audio format about prenatal care, changes to expect in your body, things to avoid, nutrition, exercise, sleep, emotional health, and school.
  

Learn more about preconception and pregnancy.

Need more information? Use the collection of resources that library staff have put together for you and your family.

Preconception and Pregnancy: Family Resource Brief, 2nd ed. (January 2012). (Updated: July 2014).

Author: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Digital Library.
Reviewer: Olivia K. Pickett, M.A., M.L.S., MCH Digital Library.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A., MCH Digital Library.