discover more about PRE-PREGNANCY
Prenatal Resources
Care for a mother and baby begins before you fall pregnant.
If you are planning to become pregnant, you should aim to give yourself the best chance of a healthy baby.
Everything from books to magazines and websites, to relatives, neighbours and friends have a plethora of advice, often conflicting, about pregnancy do’s and don’ts. This pamphlet aims to provide you with answers to the most common questions women ask during pregnancy.
Our genetic material, or DNA, is organised into 46 packages called chromosomes. Some people are born with too many or not enough chromosomes, which can affect their health and learning. Smaller changes in the DNA can also occur within a chromosome, resulting in a variety of genetic conditions. Every baby has a small chance of being born with a chromosomal or genetic condition. Testing during pregnancy for some of these conditions is called prenatal screening. This is available to provide you with more information about your unborn baby. It is your choice whether to have any prenatal screening tests. You should only have testing if you understand what the test is for and what the results are able to tell you.
Your health before and during pregnancy can have a lifelong impact on your baby’s health. For this reason, antenatal care should begin before you become pregnant.