Preconception and Pregnancy
Resources for Families
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.
- 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 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 Alliance for Hispanic Health: National Hispanic Prenatal Helpline. Call for a referral to local prenatal care services that provide care in English and Spanish. Telephone: (800) 504-7081 (English or Spanish).
- National Perinatal HIV Consultation and Referral Service.
Hotline for free, 24-hour clinical
consultation and advice on the management of
HIV in pregnant women, HIV testing in pregnancy,
and the care of HIV-exposed infants. Callers
also can be linked with local perinatal HIV
specialists. Telephone: (888) 448-8765.
- Office of Population Affairs Clearinghouse: Search the Family Planning Database. 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.
- 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.
- 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).
Author: Susan Brune Lorenzo, M.L.S., MCH Library.
Reviewers: Olivia K. Pickett, M.A., M.L.S., MCH Library.
Editor: Ruth Barzel, M.A., MCH Library.
