GEHA will be closed in observance of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29. We will reopen at 7 a.m. Central time on Tuesday, May 30.

GEHA will perform system maintenance this Sunday (May 28) from 8 a.m.–11 a.m. Central time. ID cards might not be available during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

You are using a browser we no longer support. Current functionality may be reduced and some features may not work properly. For a more optimal geha.com experience, please click here for a list of supported browsers.

Prenatal care resources

GEHA | November 19, 2018

Maternity Women's health

Get your pregnancy questions answered with the resources below.

Prenatal care is the health care you receive while you are pregnant. It can help keep you and your baby healthy. Babies of mothers who do not get prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die than those born to mothers who do get care. Doctors can spot and treat health problems early when they see mothers regularly.

You may have questions about prenatal care, such as the frequency of your doctor appointments, exercise and healthy eating, prenatal supplements, the effects of smoking or substance use, and what to expect in each trimester. Resources are available to help answer your questions and guide you through your pregnancy.

Check out these from the Office of Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Have a Healthy Pregnancy (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion)
Medical Care during Pregnancy (Nemours Foundation)
Preconception Care and Prenatal Care (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Prenatal Care (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
Prenatal Care Checkup (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)
Taking Care of You and Your Baby While You're Pregnant (American Academy of Family Physicians)
What Can I Do to Promote a Healthy Pregnancy? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)
Midwives (Nemours Foundation)
Pregnancy and Nutrition: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)
Why Take a Prenatal Supplement? (Department of Agriculture)
Women of Size and Pregnancy (American College of Nurse-Midwives) – PDF
Prenatal Care: First Trimester Visits (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Prenatal Care: Second Trimester Visits (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Prenatal Care: Third Trimester Visits (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
What Happens during Prenatal Visits? (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development)

GEHA offers a free maternity resource packet filled with information about pregnancy, prenatal care and your maternity benefits.

Sources:
Medlineplus.gov, “Prenatal Care.” Medlineplus.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, 13 March 2018.
Womenshealth.gov, “Prenatal Care.” Womenshealth.gov, Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 14 March 2018.