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Are you a father-to-be?

A father's presence is as important to a child's healthy development as the mother's. Your role as a father can begin now by supporting the baby's mother during the pregnancy. Being involved in the pregnancy also will help you to adjust to the idea of parenthood. Learn more about the importance of fathers.

Did you know?

Several types of health care professionals can help pregnant women and deliver babies. They include obstetricians, family physicians, midwives, and nurse-midwives. In this section of womenshealth.gov, we call all health care professionals "doctor" only to keep the information as easy to read as possible.

You're pregnant: Now what?

• More information on you're pregnant: now what?

So — you're pregnant! What's next? What should you eat? What kinds of tests will you and your baby need? What happens if problems come up? Get answers to these questions and more.

• Stages of pregnancy
• Prenatal care and tests
• Twins, triplets, and other multiples
• Staying healthy and safe
• Body changes and discomforts
• Pregnancy complications
• Pregnancy loss
• Know your pregnancy rights

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More information on you're pregnant: now what?

Read more from womenshealth.gov

• Pregnancy and Medicines Fact Sheet — This fact sheet provides information on the safety of using medicines while pregnant.
  http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/pregnancy-medicines.cfm

Explore other publications and websites

• Body Image: Loving Your Body Before, During, and After Your Pregnancy (Copyright © American Pregnancy Association) — This publication discusses the importance of being comfortable with your body before pregnancy. It also explains what you can do to continue to love your body through all the major changes of pregnancy and the postpartum period.
  http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/bodyimage.html
• Pregnancy Information Center, CDC — If you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you probably have a lot of questions. This website will help you learn how to be healthy (before, during, and after pregnancy) and give your baby a healthy start to life.
  http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/pregnancy_gateway/default.htm
• Safe Motherhood: Promoting Health for Women Before, During, and After Pregnancy — This report emphasizes the importance of proper care from conception through delivery, in order to prevent complications when possible. The ideal result is a labor at term without any unnecessary interventions.
  http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/aag/pdf/drh.pdf
• Ten Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy (Copyright © Lamaze International) — This easy-to-read fact sheet provides 10 simple recommendations to help mothers have a healthy pregnancy.
  http://www.lamaze.org/ExpectantParents/PregnancyandBirthResources/MoreTipsandTools/HealthyPregnancy/tabid/252/Default.aspx
• Traveling While Pregnant — This section of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Yellow Book provides information on the factors you should consider before traveling internationally while you are pregnant. In addition, it gives information on how to prepare for travel, specific recommendations, and special items to pack.
  http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-8/traveling-while-pregnant.aspx

Connect with other organizations

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
  http://www.acog.org/
• American Pregnancy Association
  http://www.americanpregnancy.org/
• La Leche League International
  http://www.llli.org/
• March of Dimes
  http://www.marchofdimes.com
• Public Information and Communications Branch, NICHD, NIH, HHS
  http://www.nichd.nih.gov

Content last updated September 27, 2010.

Resources last updated September 27, 2010.

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