Where and with whom you give birth can have a major influence on your care options, the care you receive, both your and your baby’s health, and your satisfaction with your childbearing experience. That’s why it is important, early in pregnancy, to seek out a maternity care provider and birth setting that meet your goals and align with your preferences.
While your birth may seem far away, your choice of care provider limits your options for place of birth. So it is important to consider both early in pregnancy – and to assess as time goes on whether your decisions are the right ones for you.
Choosing a Maternity Care Provider
Understand why your choice of care provider is so important, your options for maternity care providers and things to keep in mind. This section also offers tools to guide you in making a decision about who will provide your maternity care.
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Choosing a Place of Birth
Learn about your options for birth setting, including hospitals, birth centers and home birth, and understand the risks and benefits associated with each. This section also offers tools to guide you in making a decision about where you give birth.
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Your Body throughout Pregnancy
Wondering about all the amazing (and sometimes weird) changes taking place in your body during pregnancy? Check out this slideshow on the effects of pregnancy on your body and the stages of fetal development. The image here illustrates a pregnancy at 40 weeks, or full term.
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