Having a healthy pregnancy begins before conception. Eating according to Canada’s Food Guide, exercising regularly and having regular checkups with a health care provider are ways a woman can maximize her own health as well as the health of any future baby. Lifestyle choices made by a mother before and during pregnancy can also affect the health of the unborn child. These choices can affect the child for his or her entire life. For more information on having a healthy pregnancy, please visit the health unit's website on pregnancy.
Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding alcohol and other drugs including tobacco during pregnancy all contribute to optimal maternal and infant health. This section presents local data on the topics below.
Prenatal preparation
Folic acid supplementation
Smoking during pregnancy
Alcohol use during pregnancy
Drug use during pregnancy
Maternal mental health
Complications during pregnancy
Infections during pregnancy
Gestational Weight Gain