Pregnancy Resources

• NICHD National Child and Maternal Health Education Program (NCMHEP)
  NCMHEP is a coalition of more than 30 maternal and child health organizations, led by NICHD, that addresses different issues related to maternal and child health.
  • Moms' Mental Health Matters
    This initiative aims to raise awareness about depression and anxiety during and after pregnancy.
  • Know Your Terms
    This initiative explains the new definitions for full-term delivery.
  • Is It Worth It?
    This initiative focuses on the importance of waiting until 39 weeks to deliver unless there is a medical reason to deliver earlier.
• NICHD A to Z Health and Human Development Topics
  NICHD provides information on additional topics related to pregnancy:
  • Pre-Pregnancy Care and Prenatal Care
  • Labor and Delivery
  • High-Risk Pregnancy
• National Library of Medicine (NLM)
  The NLM's MedlinePlus is a website for patients that is managed by the NIH. It includes information on a multitude of diseases and conditions. Find information on pregnancy and pregnancy and reproduction.
• American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)  
  The AAFP website for patients provides information on diseases and conditions, tips for prevention, and information by stages of development. Learn about pregnancy and newborns. 
• American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) 
  ACNM's website includes information about midwives and a searchable database of nurse-midwives. Find a provider. 
• American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 
  The ACOG website for patients includes an extensive list of topics in its Fact Sheets and Frequently Asked Questions  sections. ACOG's website also includes a physician directory searchable by state or name. Find a physician. 
• American Pregnancy Association 
  The pregnancy information offered by the association ranges from using an ovulation calendar and determining your due date to help in finding a health care provider.
• Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) 
  AWHONN promotes the health of women and newborns in many ways, including the Health4Mom  website, with information on healthy moms, healthy pregnancies, and healthy babies.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  The CDC's Pregnancy page provides information for women before and during pregnancy.
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
  Read more about medication safety during pregnancy at the FDA Medicine and Pregnancy page. You can also sign up to take part in one of the FDA's Pregnancy Registries to help scientists and health care providers learn more about medication safety during pregnancy.
• March of Dimes 
  The March of Dimes supports efforts to help mothers have full-term pregnancies and to research the problems threatening the health of infants. The March of Dimes Pregnancy page  features information for women before, during, and after their pregnancy.
• Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) 
  Part of the Health Resources & Services Administration, MCHB provides free and confidential access to trained counselors and resources through the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. Callers can access support and information related to before, during, and after pregnancy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English, Spanish, and more than 60 other languages.
• Office on Women's Health (OWH)
  OWH, an office of the Department of Health and Human Services, provides a website for women with information on a variety of health topics. Learn about the stages of pregnancy, what to expect, complications, and prenatal care on the Pregnancy page.
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 
  An organization of obstetricians and gynecologists who have additional education and training in maternal-fetal medicine, SMFM aims to optimize pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. Find a physician in SMFM  or locate a support group. 
• Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) 
  The SWHR offers evidence-based resources on women and sleep that include sections on sleep and pregnancy.
  • Women & Sleep: A Guide for Better Health  (PDF 1.4 MB)
  • Women & Sleep Apnea  (PDF 133 KB)
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  The USDA's ChooseMyPlate.gov website provides information on the amount of foods people should eat for a healthy diet. The website includes a daily food plan for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

NICHD Resources

• NICHD supports research networks that aim to advance health care for women during pregnancy. These include:
  • Human Placenta Project
  • Global Network for Women's and Children's Health Research 
  • International Maternal-Pediatric-Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trial (IMPAACT) Network
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network 
  • Maternal-Fetal Surgery Network
  • Maternal and Pediatric Precision in Therapeutics (MPRINT) Hub
  • Prenatal Alcohol and SIDS and Stillbirth (PASS) Network
  • Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network
  • National Child and Maternal Health Education Program (NCMHEP)
• Multiple NICHD components support and conduct research on pregnancy and pregnancy complications:
  • Division of Extramural Research
    • Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch (PPB)
    • Obstetric and Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics Branch (OPPTB)
    • Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch (MPIDB)
    • Pediatric Growth and Nutrition Branch (PGNB)
  • Division of Population Health Research (DiPHR)
  • Division of Intramural Research: the Perinatal and Obstetrical Research Affinity Group

Non-NICHD Resources

• Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)  
  AWHONN promotes the health of women and newborns and works to strengthen the nursing profession, providing education and resources for health professionals, including position statements on a variety of issues .
• Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns Initiative 
  The Strong Start Initiative, announced in February 2012, aims to reduce the risk of significant complications and long-term health problems for expectant women and infants. This initiative is a joint effort between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Administration on Children and Families, and nongovernmental groups devoted to the health of mothers and newborns. Read the Strong Start Initiative toolkit.
• Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) 
  The MCHB of the Health Resources and Services Administration publishes Child Health USA, an annual report detailing the health status of America's children.
• American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)  
  ACNM is the professional association representing nurse-midwives and certified midwives. The ACNM site provides research and professional resources  and continuing education  programs.
• American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)  
  The ACOG publication Making Obstetrics and Maternity Safer (MOMS) Maternity Care: By the Numbers  (PDF - 105 KB) (login required) provides a detailed overview of maternal and infant health statistics, showing disparities in health behaviors, health care, and areas for improvement.
• Health and Medicine Division  of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (previously the Institute of Medicine [IOM])  
  The IOM Consensus Report on Prematurity Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences, and Prevention   details the public health impact of prematurity, identifying top priorities for research and prevention. Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines  provides updated recommendations for weight gain during pregnancy.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) 
  PRAMS is a pregnancy surveillance system that collects state-specific, population-based data on maternal attitudes and experiences before, during, and after pregnancy. The goal of PRAMS is to improve pregnancy health outcomes, especially reducing low birth weight, infant mortality and morbidity, and maternal morbidity and mortality.
• Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM)  
  SMFM aims to advance obstetrical care as a means to improve pregnancy outcomes.
  • Find physician learning resources. 
  • Read publications about maternal-fetal health. 
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  
  The FDA's Pregnancy Registries aim to help scientists and health care providers learn more about medication safety during pregnancy.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.