From the time you start thinking about becoming pregnant, trying to conceive, or discover that you are pregnant, the choices you make will impact on your son or daughter for the rest of his or her life.

The changes and choices that accompany pregnancy and parenting can be exhilarating, challenging and exhausting. Your experience will combine predictability and unpredictability and will be as individual as you and your child are.

Some women feel overwhelmed by the choices and responsibilities that pregnancy in the 21st century brings. It is possible to allow your maternity care provider to guide decision-making during your pregnancy, labour and birth. However, it is you and your baby and family, who will carry the consequences of any decisions you make or don’t make.

The information on this website aims to assist you to become aware of the lifestyle and maternity care choices that you can make from the beginning of pregnancy (or when you are planning a pregnancy) onwards and to provide some basic information that will help you to make informed choices that are right for you.


The health of your baby is largely dependent on how healthy the parents are at the time of conception and then, the mother’s health throughout the whole pregnancy.

If possible, both parents should plan for pregnancy and make sure that mother and father are in good health and have a healthy lifestyle before and throughout pregnancy.

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