Pregnancy

What can I expect at my prenatal appointments?

Health care providers may:

• Order urine tests to look for glucose, proteins, and infection.
• Review blood pressure measurements to screen for high blood pressure.
• Check your maternal weight to monitor weight gain.
• Check you Fundal height, a measure of the size of the uterus that is used to assess the baby's growth.
• Check the fetal heart rate to assess the baby's well being.

What routine tests are offered in pregnancy?

How do I choose a pregnancy health care provider?

Obstetricians, midwives, and some primary care providers can provide care for the duration of your pregnancy. View PregnancyInfo.ca, an initiative of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, to learn more about healthcare provider roles.

Learn about giving birth at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC)

Learn about what to expect during labour and delivery at KHSC and see a photo version of the prenatal tour. 

What vaccinations are recommended during pregnancy?

Physical changes during your pregnancy

Understanding physical changes during your pregnancy, and how to cope with them, can help you have a healthy and comfortable pregnancy. Every pregnant person is different. Contact your health care provider if you have questions. 

During your first trimester, changing hormones may make you feel tired, have nausea and vomiting, and tender breasts. You may notice a change in your interest in having sex.

During your second trimester hormone levels even out, signs of nausea may lessen, and you may feel a heightened sense of well-being. You will start to notice changes in your body’s shape and size. You may have some back and joint aches. 

During your third trimester, you will become more visibly pregnant. Your baby may push on your lungs, stomach, and bladder, causing shortness of breath, heartburn, gas, and frequent urination. You may also have difficulty finding comfortable sleeping positions.

For tips to help with common complaints and increase comfort during pregnancy view Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy.

Reproduced with permission from the Best Start Resource Centre- A Healthy Start for Baby and Me.

Healthy eating for pregnancy and breastfeeding or chestfeeding

Dental care during pregnancy

Your hormones change during pregnancy, and this can affect your oral health by increasing your risk of gum disease (gingivitis) and infection of the bone that supports your teeth (periodontitis). Periodontitis has also been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, such as having a pre-term delivery or a baby with low birth weight.

View tips on how to take care of your dental health

Physical activity during pregnancy

Being physically active throughout your pregnancy helps to keep you and your baby healthy. Ask your health care provider about the type and amount of physical activity that is safe for you and your baby. 

View common questions and answers to questions about physical activity during your pregnancy visit PregnancyInfo.ca or Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. 

Some physical activities are not recommended or safe during pregnancy. High-intensity activities, heavy lifting, and activities which could cause you to fall or injure yourself should be avoided.

Some examples of physical activities which you should avoid during pregnancy include:

• Horseback riding
• Downhill skiing
• Hockey
• Gymnastics
• Non-stationary biking
• Scuba diving

For tips on being physically active, visit our physical activity page.

For tips about exercise during pregnancy view Western University's Prenatal Fitness video.

Food safety during pregnancy

Support for you and your partner during pregnancy and postpartum

Support for you and your partner during pregnancy and postpartum

You may be wondering how to support your partner once your child is born. You can do things that mean a lot:

Each person's pregnancy journey is unique, and it's common to go through a range of emotions, including joy, concern, and anxiety. Remember to take care of your own, and your partners, mental health.

• Learn about pregnancy and childbirth to encourage and support your partner.
• Offer emotional support, ask what your partner needs, show affection, and support lifestyle changes.
• Make time for skin-to-skin with your baby. Skin-to-skin helps your baby adjust to life outside the womb.
• Hold your baby to soothe and calm them when they cry. This will help you bond with your baby and promote attachment.
• Make sure your partner has a chance to take time for themselves while you take care of the baby.

The postpartum period is a change for all of you. It is okay to tell someone that you are feeling tired or overwhelmed. 

• Dad Central Ontario offers tips and information for parents.
• EarlyON Centres offer free supportive programs for parents and caregivers with children from birth to six years of age.

What could preterm labour mean for your baby?

Your baby may:

• Have trouble breathing, feeding, and keeping warm

• Be more likely to get infections
• Need special care in the hospital
• Have to stay in the hospital after you go home

When might I need to seek urgent medical care during my pregnancy?

Seek medical care urgently in you experience:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Calf pain
• Unexplained rash
• Burning sensation when urinating
• Smelly fluid coming from the vagina along with itching
• Feeling more overwhelmed, anxious, or sad than usual
• A fall or injury to your stomach area, or are in a car accident
• Fever, chills, dizziness, vomiting, or a bad headache
• Blurry vision or spots in front of your eyes
• Sudden or severe swelling of your feet, hands, or face
• No movement from the baby or if the baby moves less often

Violence and abuse during pregnancy

Abuse which occurs during pregnancy puts both the birthing parent and the baby at risk. Abuse does not usually stop post birth and may - increase once baby is born.

Abuse can be physical, verbal, emotional, financial, spiritual, digital, or sexual, including being:

• Hit or kicked
• Threatened
• Insulted or ridiculed
• Controlled financially
• Texted constantly as surveillance
  
• Tracked on social media or by phone
• Belittled for spiritual beliefs
  
• Forced to have sex when you say ‘no’ or don’t want to

Abuse can be harmful to you and your baby.

Abuse can harm you and your baby. It may cause your baby to be born early or have low birth weight. Abuse can lead to stopping breastfeeding early and impact your ability to bond with your baby. Living in an environment where there is abuse places both you and your baby in danger. Protect yourself and your baby. Tell someone you trust if you are being abused.

If you are in an abusive relationship and need help please visit our violence support page.

Smoking during pregnancy 

Smoking in tobacco during pregnancy and exposure to second-hand smoke while pregnant poses a serious threat to your babies’ health. Like tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes (vaping) can expose your developing baby to nicotine, as well as other harmful substance. For more information about smoking in pregnancy visit Public Health Agency of Canada Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy.  

If you need help to quit smoking visit our quit smoking program.

Alcohol use during pregnancy

When pregnant or planning a pregnancy, it is best to avoid alcohol.

Sometimes it is very difficult to change your drinking habits, even if you really want to. It is never too late to reduce the risks for your baby. If you consumed alcohol during your pregnancy, or if you are having trouble reducing your use, speak to your healthcare provider. Help is available through Motherwise and Thrive. Talk to your health care provider. For more information about alcohol use during pregnancy visit PregnancyInfo.ca. 

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy puts your baby at risk of developing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). 

FASD is a term which describes a group of conditions, that vary from mild to severe, resulting from alcohol consumption during pregnancy. FASD is the leading known cause of preventable developmental disability in Canada.

How much alcohol does it take to cause FASD?

Despite extensive research no one knows how much alcohol it takes to cause FASD. No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.

What type of alcohol should I avoid? 

All types of alcohol should be avoided. There are no safe types of alcohol to consume while pregnant.

Can FASD be cured?

FASD cannot be cured. People live with FASD for their entire life. However, people with FASD can do well with helpful supports and services. Some examples include special education, vocational programs, structured environments, and lifelong support.

Cannabis use during pregnancy

Cannabis in all forms may affect your babies brain development and can cause low birth weights. There is no known safe amount of cannabis use during pregnancy. For more information about Cannabis use in pregnancy visit PregnacyInfo.ca. If you consumed cannabis during your pregnancy, or if you are having trouble reducing your use, speak to your healthcare provider. Help is available through Motherwise and Thrive.

To learn about myths and facts to help make informed choices about cannabis use in pregnancy view video "There may be a time and a place, but is pregnancy one?" 

For information about the effects of cannabis on fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding, parenting, and on children whose mothers used cannabis during pregnancy visit Best Start’s Risks of Cannabis on Fertility, Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Parenting.

Substance use during pregnancy

Taking medication during pregnancy

It is important when planning a pregnancy or when you are pregnant to contact your health care provider to discuss medication.

Consuming unregulated drugs during pregnancy

Unregulated drugs always carry health risks since they contain unknown amounts of the drug, harmful fillers, or other contaminants. Speak to your healthcare provider about harm reduction strategies while pregnant. It is never too late to reduce your use to support your health and your baby’s health. For information about opioid, cocaine, and amphetamine use in pregnancy visit PregnacyInfo.ca. If you consumed unregulated drugs during your pregnancy, or if you are having trouble reducing your use, speak to your healthcare provider. 

Help is available through Motherwise and Thrive.