The Information - Pre-pregnancy

There is concern over the effects of alcohol during pregnancy, which is why it is advised that pregnant women should not drink excessively. Current UK guidance recommends that not drinking during pregnancy is the safest option; however, the issue is confusing as official advice also says that drinking up to 4 units a week is unlikely to be harmful. There is also ongoing debate about how much is too much, which can be confusing when you're trying to decide what's best for your baby and your health during pregnancy. In order to help you decide, the information in this title will give you the current research evidence and facts that are known about drinking alcohol while you are pregnant.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. However, it is even more important before you become pregnant (conceive) and during the first three months of pregnancy when your baby`s major body organs are developing and your baby will benefit the most from the food you eat. This title looks at the research evidence around diet and nutrition in pregnancy, as well as the general principles of a healthy diet and how this can lead to a healthier pregnancy for you and your baby. It also considers how eating certain nutrients may have an impact on your pregnancy and on longer-term health. There is also guidance on general food safety; this should be read in conjunction with the Informed Choice title Infections in pregnancy - prevention, detection and treatment.

Pregnancy is a time when you will find yourself receiving a lot of new information and health advice, and will need to make a number of choices and decisions. It is a time when you also need to continue to look after, and protect, your own sexual health. This is about enjoying sexual relationships without causing harm to you, your partner, or your unborn baby. Being pregnant does not affect your risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection (STI); you are just as vulnerable as those sexually-active friends and colleagues who are not pregnant. Catching a sexually transmitted infection can harm the pregnancy and damage both you and your baby's longer-term health. Your pregnancy is also a good time to think about the future and begin planning ahead; this includes thinking about your contraceptive needs. You may already know quite a lot about the various methods of contraception that are available, but bodily changes related to recovering from pregnancy and the birth, as well as breastfeeding your baby, may mean that you need to consider methods that differ from those you might have previously used.

We are all susceptible to different infections, diseases and health problems throughout our lifetime. Most pregnant women are generally fit and healthy, which may mean they are not always aware they have caught an infection until they experience symptoms or health problems. In some cases, these only develop in the later stages of the infection or disease. Some infectious diseases can be fairly minor causing a few short-lived, bothersome symptoms, however others can lead to serious health complications for the mother during pregnancy and after the birth, as well as for her developing and/or newborn baby. This title has been developed to help you recognise the importance of any signs of infection in pregnancy, so that you can seek care and advice as soon as possible. This is a huge topic, so we have focused on the most important aspects of information and have included details of a large number of websites and information resources for additional information.