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The Stages of Pregnancy section outlines the planning of your pregnancy, each stage of pregnancy, giving birth, and the early period after birth. You will find descriptions of how your body is changing and your baby is growing, along with great tips and resources that will help you to learn and make informed decisions throughout every step of your pregnancy.stages of pregnancy

Inside Stages of Pregnancy:


Planning Pregnancy Stage

Planning your pregnancy is a great first step toward having a healthy baby. By thinking about and addressing the many changes that your body -- and your life -- are about to go through, you can help make your journey and the outcome the best it can be. This section contains all of the hows and whys for planning a healthy pregnancy.

Go to Planning Pregnancy planning pregnancy


First Trimester Stage

The first trimester section is coming soon. Meanwhile, find links to other sections of this website that are helpful for this stage, such as pregnancy pictures, choosing your caregiver, choosing a birth setting, and more.

Go to First Trimester first trimester


Second Trimester Stage

The second trimester section is coming soon. Meanwhile, we've provided links to other sections of this website that are helpful for this stage, such as pictures of your growing body and baby, the rights of childbearing women, and more.

Go to Second Trimester second trimester


Third Trimester Stage

The third trimester section is coming soon. Meanwhile, we've provided links to other sections of this website that you are helpful for this stage, such as how to get labor support, how to cope with labor pain, and more.

Go to Third Trimester third trimester


Giving Birth Stage

The giving birth section is coming soon. Also to come are helpful pictures of labor positions.  Meanwhile, we have provided links to other sections of this website that are helpful for this stage, such as coping with labor pain, your rights as a childbearing woman, our recommended books, and more.

Go to Giving Birth giving birth


Postpartum Stage

The postpartum section is coming soon. Meanwhile, we have provided links to other sections of this website that are helpful for this period, such as quotes from mothers on their experiences, recommended books, and the results to our most recent survey of U.S. mothers called Listening to Mothers II on their childbearing experiences.

Go to Postpartum giving birth

Most recent page update: 4/4/2008


© 2010 Childbirth Connection. All rights reserved.

Childbirth Connection is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 1918 as Maternity Center Association. Our mission is to improve the quality of maternity care through research, education, advocacy and policy. Childbirth Connection promotes safe, effective and satisfying evidence-based maternity care and is a voice for the needs and interests of childbearing families.
News and Features : Health Professionals
New VBAC Guidlines
ACOG has just issued new Guidlines for VBAC. What changed? What continues?
 
We've Moved!
On July 1, 2010, the Childbirth Connection office moved to 260 Madison Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY  10016. All other contact information is unchanged.
 

"2020 Vision" and "Blueprint for Action" Reports Available
Collaboration of leaders from across the U.S. health care system contributed to two major direction-setting reports for improving the maternity care system.
Learn about Transforming Maternity Care project
Read the "2020 Vision"
Read the "Blueprint for Action"
Help implement Blueprint recommendations
Listen to report release event audio, 1/2010

Rising Maternal Mortality
Analysis of maternal mortality data for the state of California, with 14% of the nation's births, strongly suggests that maternal mortality is increasing in tandem with rising rates of cesarean section and obesity.
Read article about maternal mortality in California 
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Help Transform Maternity Care!Help Transform Maternity Care!
Please join our efforts to make quality maternity care a top national priority. Your support will help make the transformation possible.
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Updated Maternity Care Statistics Available
A fact sheet summarizes U.S. maternity care trends and figures from the latest federal reports. A new table updates state-level maternity statistics. These update background information in the 2008 Milbank Report on Evidence-Based Maternity Care.
Get the fact sheet 
Get state-level statistics (PDF) 
Read Evidence-Based
Maternity Care
 

US Cochrane Center (USCC)/Consumers United for Evidence-based Healthcare (CUE)
Visit the USCC/CUE website for the latest pregnancy and childbirth systematic reviews.


Evidence-Based Maternity Care Report Released
A major new report takes stock of the U.S. maternity care system and finds great opportunities for improvement. Childbirth Connection collaborated with the Reforming States Group and the Milbank Memorial Fund to develop the report.
Learn more, get the report 
Read companion USA Today article
Read the USA Today article
Read the Consumer Reports story
Take the Consumer Reports quiz
Read Our Bodies Our Blog entry



New Mothers Speak Out National Report Released
The latest report in Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers series is now available. Get an eye-opening look at the reality of life as a mother of young children in the United States, based on national surveys conducted by Harris Interactive.
Learn more, get the report
Read the Wall Street Journal story and listen to the podcast
Download Quick Facts (PDF)

Why does the national U.S. c-section rate keep going up?
Current research points to an optimal cesarean section rate of 5% to 10%, but 1 pregnant woman in 3 is giving birth by major surgery in the United States. Why the surge and is this safe? A new page - and a PDF handout for journalists, policy makers, students and others - answer these questions.
Read more about the rising cesarean section rate rising national cesarean section rate

New Content!
March/April 2009 evidence column is now available.
Features: National Quality Forum endorses consensus perinatal performance measures; systematic reviews on induction of labor, environmental tobacco smoke and fetal health, and HPV infection and cervical neoplasia
Get the column
Popular Pages
comfort in labor by penny simkin

Comfort in Labor, by Penny Simkin
Penny Simkin, the internationally recognized leader in childbirth education and labor support, shares her wisdom with women, including comfort measures, effective positions, and tips for partners and doulas.
Download Comfort in Labor (free PDF) listening to mothers
Every woman has the right to receive maternity care that identifies and addresses social and behavioral factors that affect her health and that of her baby. She should receive information to help her take the best care of herself and her baby and have access to social services and behavioral change programs that could contribute to their health.