Planning for pregnancy

Being in good health:

• Nutrition for all women
• Exercise
• Smoking affects your health
• Alcohol
• The reproductive/menstrual/ovulatory cycle
• Regular health care – having a primary care provider
• Cervical spears
• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs or STDs)
• Breast examination

Sexuality and contraception:

• Commonly used methods of contraception

Deciding whether to have a child:

• Do I want a child?
• Pre-conception health check
• Stopping contraception

Trouble getting pregnant?

• Body weight
• Fertility awareness (natural family planning)
• Intercourse
• And if I’m still not pregnant?
• Pregnancy for women not currently in a heterosexual relationship
• Investigating infertility
• Adoption

A Maori health professional’s perspective