Pregnancy

This Web site links you to the latest information about mercury found in fish, including what fish not to buy commercially, and advisories about contaminated fish and wildlife in your area.

Motherisk is dedicated to research and education about drug, chemical, and disease risks during pregnancy. Based in the University of Toronto, this program provides evidence-based one-on-one counseling to women who have questions about how substances, radiation, and disease affect a fetus or infant.

This organization provides information about the fetal risks of numerous medications, herbal products, infections, vaccines, chemicals, mothers' medical conditions, illegal drugs, and other exposures (such as high heat levels from hot tub and sauna use).

The WIC program pays for nutritious food for low-income women and their infants and children up to age 5; pregnant low-income women are also covered by this program. WIC provides information on healthy eating, breast-feeding, and referrals to health care.

WIC is federally funded and managed by each state government. See the WIC Web site or the government pages of your phone book for local contact information.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a nonprofit organization of professionals who provide health care for women, including teens. The ACOG Resource Center publishes manuals and patient education materials. The Web publications section of the site has patient education pamphlets on many women's health topics, including reproductive health, breast-feeding, violence, and quitting smoking.

The American Pregnancy Association is a national health organization committed to promoting reproductive and pregnancy wellness through education, research, advocacy, and community awareness. You can call a toll-free helpline or use the Web site to request patient education materials.

The International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) promotes freedom of choice based on knowledge of alternatives in family-centered maternity and newborn care. Family-centered maternity care is ICEA's primary goal and the basis of ICEA philosophy. They offer a catalog of information available to consumers.

The March of Dimes tries to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and early death. March of Dimes supports research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies' lives. The organization's Web site has information on premature birth, birth defects, birth defects testing, pregnancy, and prenatal care. You can sign up to get a free newsletter and also explore Understanding Your Newborn: An Interactive Program for New Parents.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline offers crisis intervention, information about domestic violence, and referrals to local service providers for victims of domestic violence and those calling on their behalf. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English, Spanish, and other languages. The hotline connects callers to more than 4,000 shelters and service providers in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC) is a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health. NWHIC provides women's health information to a variety of audiences, including consumers, health professionals, and researchers.

The Pregnant With Cancer Support Group is a network of women who help one another cope with cancer during and after pregnancy. This network was started by three women who had cancer while pregnant. The Web site offers book recommendations and links to other relevant Web sites.