Your health and wellbeing are important. The more conscious a woman is about her overall health, the better the chance of living a healthy life, having a healthy pregnancy, and raising a healthy family.
Here are some reasons why regular annual visits are important and a few things to consider if you are thinking about becoming pregnant, suspect you might be pregnant, or know you are pregnant:
Women know life moves quickly. New partners, new jobs, different opportunities and circumstances can come in and out of your life impacting everything from your current situation to your future life plans. On top of that, women’s healthcare is always changing. There are new options for birth control that can fit your active lifestyle, which is why it’s important to make sure your healthcare provider is aware of your reproductive plans and goals.
Annual wellness visits can be more than just a routine check up if you think of them as an opportunity for you to compare notes with your healthcare provider to:
If you are thinking about becoming pregnant within the next year, you will want to visit with your healthcare provider about your reproductive plan.
If you don’t want to become pregnant, be sure to ask what contraceptive methods are best for you.
Sometimes even healthy mothers have complicated pregnancies or babies with health challenges.
Understanding your OWN HEALTH is an important first step as you consider your family planning and childbearing goals.
Here are some questions to consider:
What are your health goals and/or challenges?Annual check-ups (sometimes called well visits or preventative visits) with your healthcare provider are important. These visits give you the opportunity to talk about your overall physical and mental wellbeing, things you can do to prevent future health problems, how your relationships are affecting your health, and what your childbearing goals are. It’s also a good time to review and discuss behaviors that can put your health at risk, such as alcohol, tobacco or other substance use, diet, and levels of physical activity.
How healthy is your diet?Healthy eating habits can give you more energy and can reduce or even prevent some chronic conditions. Eating well doesn’t have to be a chore or expensive either – a little planning and making small changes every day can make a huge difference!
Did you know doctors recommend that all women of childbearing age take a daily vitamin that includes Folic Acid? Adequate folic acid helps prevent some birth defects. A vitamin isn’t a substitute for choosing healthy foods, but it is an insurance policy that you are getting the nutrients you need even on your busiest days.
There are lots of nutrition resources and apps that can help you make healthy choices:
What is your family’s medical history?Knowing your family’s health history can be very valuable. It can help you understand your own health better and prepare you for the future. Being aware of conditions that run in your family can also help prevent potential health problems for you and your baby.
Do you have any existing conditions?Chronic conditions are often some of the most common, costly, and preventable health problems. Things like heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity can be prevented or controlled by making small, daily changes to diet or exercise habits.
You can also plan ahead to protect yourself against infections. Half of all sexually active people will contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by the age of 25. Besides being uncomfortable and embarrassing, STDs can cause serious health conditions – even infertility. The good news is that STDs are preventable. Get the facts and get tested.
What medications are you currently taking?Make sure you know all of the prescriptions you’re taking and how they might react with other drugs, food, alcohol, or over the counter medications. Stay on top of instructions and dosages and be sure to talk with your healthcare provider regularly.
Emotional support & healthy relationships.Stress is part of life, but finding balance is critical to your emotional and mental wellbeing. There are many strategies to help reduce stress – from physical activity and hobbies, to meditation or simple “me time.” No relationship is perfect, but the time you spend with your partner, family, and friends should make you feel happy and safe. You can talk with your healthcare provider about resources in your community that can help you build the support systems you need to reduce stress and strengthen relationships.
What other resources are available to you?Don’t be afraid to reach out. You might be surprised by the number of agencies and programs that are geared toward providing information, guiding, and assisting you in making healthy choices. Here’s a few places to get you started:
Women know life moves quickly. New partners, new jobs, different opportunities and circumstances can come in and out of your life impacting everything from your current situation to your future life plans. On top of that, women’s healthcare is always changing. There are new options for birth control that can fit your active lifestyle, which is why it’s important to make sure your healthcare provider is aware of your reproductive plans and goals.
Annual wellness visits can be more than just a routine check up if you think of them as an opportunity for you to compare notes with your healthcare provider to:
If you are thinking about becoming pregnant within the next year, you will want to visit with your healthcare provider about your reproductive plan.
If you don’t want to become pregnant, be sure to ask what contraceptive methods are best for you.
Sometimes even healthy mothers have complicated pregnancies or babies with health challenges.
Understanding your OWN HEALTH is an important first step as you consider your family planning and childbearing goals.
Here are some questions to consider:
What are your health goals and/or challenges?Annual check-ups (sometimes called well visits or preventative visits) with your healthcare provider are important. These visits give you the opportunity to talk about your overall physical and mental wellbeing, things you can do to prevent future health problems, how your relationships are affecting your health, and what your childbearing goals are. It’s also a good time to review and discuss behaviors that can put your health at risk, such as alcohol, tobacco or other substance use, diet, and levels of physical activity.
How healthy is your diet?Healthy eating habits can give you more energy and can reduce or even prevent some chronic conditions. Eating well doesn’t have to be a chore or expensive either – a little planning and making small changes every day can make a huge difference!
Did you know doctors recommend that all women of childbearing age take a daily vitamin that includes Folic Acid? Adequate folic acid helps prevent some birth defects. A vitamin isn’t a substitute for choosing healthy foods, but it is an insurance policy that you are getting the nutrients you need even on your busiest days.
There are lots of nutrition resources and apps that can help you make healthy choices:
What is your family’s medical history?Knowing your family’s health history can be very valuable. It can help you understand your own health better and prepare you for the future. Being aware of conditions that run in your family can also help prevent potential health problems for you and your baby.
Do you have any existing conditions?Chronic conditions are often some of the most common, costly, and preventable health problems. Things like heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and obesity can be prevented or controlled by making small, daily changes to diet or exercise habits.
You can also plan ahead to protect yourself against infections. Half of all sexually active people will contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) by the age of 25. Besides being uncomfortable and embarrassing, STDs can cause serious health conditions – even infertility. The good news is that STDs are preventable. Get the facts and get tested.
What medications are you currently taking?Make sure you know all of the prescriptions you’re taking and how they might react with other drugs, food, alcohol, or over the counter medications. Stay on top of instructions and dosages and be sure to talk with your healthcare provider regularly.
Emotional support & healthy relationships.Stress is part of life, but finding balance is critical to your emotional and mental wellbeing. There are many strategies to help reduce stress – from physical activity and hobbies, to meditation or simple “me time.” No relationship is perfect, but the time you spend with your partner, family, and friends should make you feel happy and safe. You can talk with your healthcare provider about resources in your community that can help you build the support systems you need to reduce stress and strengthen relationships.
What other resources are available to you?Don’t be afraid to reach out. You might be surprised by the number of agencies and programs that are geared toward providing information, guiding, and assisting you in making healthy choices. Here’s a few places to get you started:
If you are planning a pregnancy it is important to share your vaccination history with your medical provider so he/she can determine whether you need any vaccinations prior to becoming pregnant. One vaccine, called Measles, Mumps, and Rubella or MMR for short cannot be given during pregnancy. Rubella is a contagious disease that can be dangerous if you get it while you are pregnant. It can cause miscarriage, still birth or serious birth defects. The best protection against rubella is the vaccine MMR. Most women received this vaccination when they were children but if you aren’t up to date you’ll need to get the vaccine before you get pregnant and avoid getting pregnant for one month after receiving the vaccine.
Your baby gets disease protection from you during pregnancy and this immunity will even protect baby from some diseases for the first few months of life. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all pregnant women receive the whooping cough vaccine, Tdap during their third trimester of each pregnancy.
Whooping cough is another highly contagious respiratory disease that can be deadly for babies. It is often thought of as a disease of the past but recent outbreaks has made it a growing health concern. Getting the vaccine (Tdap) is the best way to prevent the disease. When you are vaccinated, your body creates protective antibodies and passes some of them to your unborn baby.
Find out more about how vaccines protect your baby.
Even if you are generally healthy, the flu can cause serious problems when you are pregnant. Your immune system, heart, and lungs all change and can function differently during pregnancy making you more likely to get severely ill from the flu. Pregnant women who get the flu are at higher risk of hospitalization, and even death, than non-pregnant women. Severe illness during your pregnancy can also be dangerous to your developing baby because it increases the chance for significant problems, such as premature labor and delivery.
Flu shots aren’t just a good idea for you. They are the best protection for your baby and everyone that comes into contact with your baby. Everyone 6 months and older needs a flu shot annually. The best way to protect babies under 6 months of age, is to make sure that everyone – 6 months and older – gets a flu shot annually.
The CDC has more information about pregnancy and flu shots.
Vaccines are thoroughly tested before licensing and carefully monitored after they are licensed to ensure that they are very safe.
Vaccines are among the safest and most cost-effective ways to prevent disease. They not only protect vaccinated individuals but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
All vaccines used in the United States are required to go through years of extensive safety testing before they are licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA and CDC work with health care providers throughout the United States to monitor the safety of vaccines, including for any adverse events, especially rare events not identified in pre-licensure study trials.
There are three systems used to monitor the safety of vaccines after they are licensed and being used in the U.S. These systems can monitor side effects already known to be caused by vaccines, as well as detect rare side effects that were not identified during a vaccine’s clinical trials.
For more information visit:
Take Your VitaminsBecause many pregnancies are unplanned, all women of child-bearing age are advised to take a daily vitamin containing at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid. Research has shown that having enough folic acid before and during pregnancy decreases the risk of several birth defects.
If you suspect you may be pregnant and are waiting to get in to your healthcare provider, call and ask for a prescription for a prenatal vitamin, or ask your pharmacist to recommend one.
Not all birth defects can be prevented, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chance of having a healthy baby:
If you are planning a pregnancy it is important to share your vaccination history with your medical provider so he/she can determine whether you need any vaccinations prior to becoming pregnant. One vaccine, called Measles, Mumps, and Rubella or MMR for short cannot be given during pregnancy. Rubella is a contagious disease that can be dangerous if you get it while you are pregnant. It can cause miscarriage, still birth or serious birth defects. The best protection against rubella is the vaccine MMR. Most women received this vaccination when they were children but if you aren’t up to date you’ll need to get the vaccine before you get pregnant and avoid getting pregnant for one month after receiving the vaccine.
Your baby gets disease protection from you during pregnancy and this immunity will even protect baby from some diseases for the first few months of life. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) recommends that all pregnant women receive the whooping cough vaccine, Tdap during their third trimester of each pregnancy.
Whooping cough is another highly contagious respiratory disease that can be deadly for babies. It is often thought of as a disease of the past but recent outbreaks has made it a growing health concern. Getting the vaccine (Tdap) is the best way to prevent the disease. When you are vaccinated, your body creates protective antibodies and passes some of them to your unborn baby.
Find out more about how vaccines protect your baby.
Even if you are generally healthy, the flu can cause serious problems when you are pregnant. Your immune system, heart, and lungs all change and can function differently during pregnancy making you more likely to get severely ill from the flu. Pregnant women who get the flu are at higher risk of hospitalization, and even death, than non-pregnant women. Severe illness during your pregnancy can also be dangerous to your developing baby because it increases the chance for significant problems, such as premature labor and delivery.
Flu shots aren’t just a good idea for you. They are the best protection for your baby and everyone that comes into contact with your baby. Everyone 6 months and older needs a flu shot annually. The best way to protect babies under 6 months of age, is to make sure that everyone – 6 months and older – gets a flu shot annually.
The CDC has more information about pregnancy and flu shots.
Vaccines are thoroughly tested before licensing and carefully monitored after they are licensed to ensure that they are very safe.
Vaccines are among the safest and most cost-effective ways to prevent disease. They not only protect vaccinated individuals but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases.
All vaccines used in the United States are required to go through years of extensive safety testing before they are licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
FDA and CDC work with health care providers throughout the United States to monitor the safety of vaccines, including for any adverse events, especially rare events not identified in pre-licensure study trials.
There are three systems used to monitor the safety of vaccines after they are licensed and being used in the U.S. These systems can monitor side effects already known to be caused by vaccines, as well as detect rare side effects that were not identified during a vaccine’s clinical trials.
For more information visit:
Take Your VitaminsBecause many pregnancies are unplanned, all women of child-bearing age are advised to take a daily vitamin containing at least 0.4 milligrams of folic acid. Research has shown that having enough folic acid before and during pregnancy decreases the risk of several birth defects.
If you suspect you may be pregnant and are waiting to get in to your healthcare provider, call and ask for a prescription for a prenatal vitamin, or ask your pharmacist to recommend one.
Not all birth defects can be prevented, but there are a few things you can do to increase your chance of having a healthy baby:
Women know life moves quickly. New partners, new jobs, different opportunities, and circumstances can come in and out of your life impacting everything from your current situation to your future life plans. On top of that, women’s healthcare is always changing. There are new options for birth control that can fit your active lifestyle, which is why it’s important to make sure your healthcare provider is aware of your reproductive plans and goals.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a well-woman checkup every year.
11 reasons to schedule an annual well-woman checkup:Women know life moves quickly. New partners, new jobs, different opportunities, and circumstances can come in and out of your life impacting everything from your current situation to your future life plans. On top of that, women’s healthcare is always changing. There are new options for birth control that can fit your active lifestyle, which is why it’s important to make sure your healthcare provider is aware of your reproductive plans and goals.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a well-woman checkup every year.
11 reasons to schedule an annual well-woman checkup:
A healthy mouth is important for your overall health and well-being. Many women develop gingivitis during pregnancy, a common and mild form of gum disease that affects the part of your gums around the base of your teeth. Gingivitis happens because your hormones change during pregnancy, making gums more sensitive to the bacteria that cause gum disease. Signs of gingivitis include red, swollen gums that bleed when brushing or flossing. If pregnancy gingivitis is not treated, the infection can lead to periodontal disease, which can impact your overall health.
Keeping your mouth healthy is good for you, good for your pregnancy, and good for baby. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Eating RightA healthy diet is important for both mom and baby to grow and develop properly. Proper weight gain during pregnancy is also important, as either too little or too much weight gain can affect the health of both mother and baby.
Find out more about eating right and weight gain during pregnancy:
A healthy mouth is important for your overall health and well-being. Many women develop gingivitis during pregnancy, a common and mild form of gum disease that affects the part of your gums around the base of your teeth. Gingivitis happens because your hormones change during pregnancy, making gums more sensitive to the bacteria that cause gum disease. Signs of gingivitis include red, swollen gums that bleed when brushing or flossing. If pregnancy gingivitis is not treated, the infection can lead to periodontal disease, which can impact your overall health.
Keeping your mouth healthy is good for you, good for your pregnancy, and good for baby. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Eating RightA healthy diet is important for both mom and baby to grow and develop properly. Proper weight gain during pregnancy is also important, as either too little or too much weight gain can affect the health of both mother and baby.
Find out more about eating right and weight gain during pregnancy:
Smoking is linked to many serious health risks for both mom and baby.
Smoking during pregnancy harms your baby
When you smoke, the chemicals and toxins in tobacco products enter your body. Because you and your baby share the same bloodstream, deadly tobacco poisons in your system are shared with your baby.
Almost all e-cigarette and vape products contain nicotine. Although vape aerosol generally has fewer toxic substances than cigarette smoke, vape products containing nicotine are not safe during pregnancy. When you vape or JUUL, nicotine travels through your bloodstream to your baby in the womb.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke for pregnant women. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable. Ask your friends and family not to smoke around you while pregnant or when baby arrives.
The most important time for a woman to quit smoking can also be the most difficult.
About half of the women who smoke during pregnancy relapse within 6 months after having their baby making it important for pregnant women and new moms to have extra support.
Nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco products or vape can harm babies during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications like patches, lozenges, or gum or call the South Dakota QuitLine at 1-866-SD-QUITS.
The South Dakota QuitLine offers free support to pregnant women who are using tobacco or
vape during pregnancy.
Smoking is linked to many serious health risks for both mom and baby.
Smoking during pregnancy harms your baby
When you smoke, the chemicals and toxins in tobacco products enter your body. Because you and your baby share the same bloodstream, deadly tobacco poisons in your system are shared with your baby.
Almost all e-cigarette and vape products contain nicotine. Although vape aerosol generally has fewer toxic substances than cigarette smoke, vape products containing nicotine are not safe during pregnancy. When you vape or JUUL, nicotine travels through your bloodstream to your baby in the womb.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke for pregnant women. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable. Ask your friends and family not to smoke around you while pregnant or when baby arrives.
The most important time for a woman to quit smoking can also be the most difficult.
About half of the women who smoke during pregnancy relapse within 6 months after having their baby making it important for pregnant women and new moms to have extra support.
Nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco products or vape can harm babies during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) medications like patches, lozenges, or gum or call the South Dakota QuitLine at 1-866-SD-QUITS.
The South Dakota QuitLine offers free support to pregnant women who are using tobacco or
vape during pregnancy.
It is important to check with your prenatal care provider before taking any medication, including any prescribed for you by other medical providers. It’s also important to discuss any over-the-counter medicines, supplements, or herbal remedies you are taking. Some products, even when promoted for good health, should be avoided during pregnancy.
When a pregnant woman uses drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, her baby uses too. Substances in the mother’s blood stream are carried to the developing baby. There is no safe amount of alcohol, marijuana, or drugs during pregnancy. Women who are planning a pregnancy should avoid their use entirely.
By not using alcohol during pregnancy, you will prevent your baby from the risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the serious learning and behavioral disorders that are associated with it.
By not using illegal drugs during pregnancy you will:
Find out more about the effects of using alcohol or drugs during pregnancy:
When a pregnant woman uses drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, her baby uses too. Substances in the mother’s blood stream are carried to the developing baby. There is no safe amount of alcohol, marijuana, or drugs during pregnancy. Women who are planning a pregnancy should avoid their use entirely.
By not using alcohol during pregnancy, you will prevent your baby from the risk of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the serious learning and behavioral disorders that are associated with it.
By not using illegal drugs during pregnancy you will:
Find out more about the effects of using alcohol or drugs during pregnancy:
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some infections before and during pregnancy can hurt both you and your developing fetus. They can cause serious illness, birth defects, and lifelong disabilities, such as hearing loss or learning problems.
You will not always know if you have an infection and sometimes you will not feel sick. If you think you might have an infection or think you are at risk, see your healthcare provider. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider to learn more about safe food preparation, wearing insect repellent when outside, taking medicine, and other important topics.
1 – Wash your hands with soap and water after the following:
2 – Protect yourself from Zika virus.Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus during pregnancy or to her baby around the time of birth. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause severe brain defects including microcephaly, a birth defect where a baby’s head and brain are smaller than babies
of the same age and sex.
If you are trying to become pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider before traveling to areas with Zika and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip. See CDC’s advice for men and women who are thinking about pregnancy.
3 – Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk and foods made from it.Do not eat soft cheeses, such as feta, brie, and queso fresco, unless they have labels that say they are pasteurized. Unpasteurized products can contain harmful bacteria. Learn more about Listeria.
4 – Do not touch or change dirty cat litter.Have someone else do it. If you must change the cat litter yourself, be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Dirty cat litter might contain a harmful parasite. Learn more about toxoplasmosis.
5 – Stay away from wild or pet rodents and their droppings.Have a pest control professional get rid of pests in or around your home. If you have a pet rodent, like a hamster or guinea pig, have someone else care for it until after your baby arrives. Some rodents might carry a harmful virus. Learn more about lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV).
6 – Get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV and hepatitis B, and protect yourself from them.Some people that have HIV, hepatitis B, or an STD do not feel sick. Knowing if you have one of these diseases is important. If you do, talk to your healthcare provider about reducing the chance that your baby will become sick. Learn more about STDs.
7 – Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccinations (shots).Some vaccinations are recommended before you become pregnant, during pregnancy, or right after delivery. Having the right vaccinations at the right time can help keep you healthy and help keep your baby from getting very sick or having life-long health problems. Learn more about vaccinations.
8 – Avoid people who have an infection.If you have not yet had or did not have the vaccine before pregnancy, stay away from people who you know have infections, such as chickenpox or rubella. Learn more about chickenpox.
9 – Wash your hands often when around children.Their saliva and urine might contain a virus. It is likely harmless to them, but it can be harmful to your unborn baby. Learn more about cytomegalovirus (CMV).
10 – Ask your doctor about group B strep.About 1 in 4 women carry this type of bacteria, but do not feel sick. An easy swab test near the end of pregnancy will show if you have this type of bacteria. If you do have group B strep, talk to your healthcare provider about how to protect your baby during labor. Learn more about group B streptococcus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some infections before and during pregnancy can hurt both you and your developing fetus. They can cause serious illness, birth defects, and lifelong disabilities, such as hearing loss or learning problems.
You will not always know if you have an infection and sometimes you will not feel sick. If you think you might have an infection or think you are at risk, see your healthcare provider. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider to learn more about safe food preparation, wearing insect repellent when outside, taking medicine, and other important topics.
1 – Wash your hands with soap and water after the following:2 – Protect yourself from Zika virus.Zika virus can be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus during pregnancy or to her baby around the time of birth. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause severe brain defects including microcephaly, a birth defect where a baby’s head and brain are smaller than babies
of the same age and sex.
If you are trying to become pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider before traveling to areas with Zika and strictly follow steps to prevent mosquito bites during the trip. See CDC’s advice for men and women who are thinking about pregnancy.
3 – Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk and foods made from it.Do not eat soft cheeses, such as feta, brie, and queso fresco, unless they have labels that say they are pasteurized. Unpasteurized products can contain harmful bacteria. Learn more about Listeria.
4 – Do not touch or change dirty cat litter.Have someone else do it. If you must change the cat litter yourself, be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Dirty cat litter might contain a harmful parasite. Learn more about toxoplasmosis.
5 – Stay away from wild or pet rodents and their droppings.Have a pest control professional get rid of pests in or around your home. If you have a pet rodent, like a hamster or guinea pig, have someone else care for it until after your baby arrives. Some rodents might carry a harmful virus. Learn more about lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV).
6 – Get tested for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV and hepatitis B, and protect yourself from them.Some people that have HIV, hepatitis B, or an STD do not feel sick. Knowing if you have one of these diseases is important. If you do, talk to your healthcare provider about reducing the chance that your baby will become sick. Learn more about STDs.
7 – Talk to your healthcare provider about vaccinations (shots).Some vaccinations are recommended before you become pregnant, during pregnancy, or right after delivery. Having the right vaccinations at the right time can help keep you healthy and help keep your baby from getting very sick or having life-long health problems. Learn more about vaccinations.
8 – Avoid people who have an infection.If you have not yet had or did not have the vaccine before pregnancy, stay away from people who you know have infections, such as chickenpox or rubella. Learn more about chickenpox.
9 – Wash your hands often when around children.Their saliva and urine might contain a virus. It is likely harmless to them, but it can be harmful to your unborn baby. Learn more about cytomegalovirus (CMV).
10 – Ask your doctor about group B strep.About 1 in 4 women carry this type of bacteria, but do not feel sick. An easy swab test near the end of pregnancy will show if you have this type of bacteria. If you do have group B strep, talk to your healthcare provider about how to protect your baby during labor. Learn more about group B streptococcus.
