Question 1

What is a Reproductive Life Plan?

Accepted Answer

A reproductive life plan is a simple tool to help you decide if and when you are ready to have a baby. By helping you identify your values, priorities and actions to take, it can also improve your chances of getting pregnant, and having a healthy baby when you are ready.
The plan offers questions and actions you can take to prepare for your future and care for your health and well-being in the process.

Question 2

What does a reproductive life plan include?

Accepted Answer

A reproductive life plan provides information and steps that can help to improve your physical and mental health and protect your fertility. This can improve your chances of having a healthy baby in the future.
Topics covered include:

 	Protecting your physical and mental health

 	Eating healthy
 	Being active
 	Immunization
 	For people who can become pregnant, taking a multivitamin supplement with folic acid
 	Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
 	Managing stress
 	Getting enough sleep
 	Healthy relationships


 	Avoiding exposure to harmful substances

 	Tobacco
 	Alcohol
 	Cannabis
 	Other drugs
 	Environmental Risks


 	Considering health and family history

 	Medical conditions and genetics
 	Medications
 	Dental Health
 	STIs


 	Age and fertility
 	Consulting medical and other resources prior to pregnancy

 	Health care providers
 	Social agencies and organizations
 	Available programs and supports


 	Preventing pregnancy using birth control methods that are right for you and preventing STIs through safer sex practices

Question 3

Why is a reproductive life plan helpful for everyone?

Accepted Answer

It takes a combination of a healthy egg and a successful swimmer (sperm) to make a baby.
We know that there are steps people can take before pregnancy that can make a big difference to their health before and during pregnancy. There are also steps that improve sexual health and overall well-being to help conceive a healthy baby. Knowing about these steps can help you make choices that support you, your partner and your future child.

A reproductive life plan gives people the chance to review these steps and take action to improve health, protect fertility, and increase the chances of having a healthy baby- now or in the future.

Question 4

I am thinking about having a baby in the next year. Is it too late to start using a reproductive life plan?

Accepted Answer

It’s never too late to start thinking about a reproductive life plan and to take positive steps that impact your own health and the health of a future child.
At this stage of your life, a reproductive life plan can help you review the things in your life that can improve your health, protect your fertility and help to increase your chances of having a healthy baby.  By talking about your plan with your health care provider, you can find more information and resources that will help you to reach your goals.

Remember that your reproductive life plan can change. Planning to be healthy helps to keep your options open.

Question 5

How long should I wait between pregnancies?

Accepted Answer

There is no ‘magic number’ or amount of time to wait between pregnancies that will work for everyone. Talk with your health care provider about the factors that are important for you to think about.
Based on past pregnancies and birth experiences, the spacing between pregnancies can affect:

 	baby’s health: a future baby could be born preterm, small for their age or have a low birth weight
 	pregnant person's health: they may have high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia) during a future pregnancy
 	the chance of scar tissue on the uterus from a previous caesarean birth (c-section) rupturing (breaking open) during labour

Some of the things to think about when deciding when to have another baby include:

 	The health of your previous pregnancy and baby.
 	Did you have a term birth with your previous pregnancy?
 	Was your baby born preterm (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)?
 	Was your baby small for their age or did they have a low birth weight?
 	Did you have high blood pressure during your last pregnancy?
 	Did you have a caesarean birth?
 	You and your partner’s age and health history, finances, wishes about family size, etc

Talk with your health care provider about your health and family history, any medical conditions, your age, whether you previously had a vaginal or caesarean birth, and your reproductive life plan. These are all things to consider when deciding when to start trying for another baby.

Reproductive Life Plan

What is a Reproductive Life Plan?

What does a reproductive life plan include?

Why is a reproductive life plan helpful for everyone?

I am thinking about having a baby in the next year. Is it too late to start using a reproductive life plan?

How long should I wait between pregnancies?

There is no ‘magic number’ or amount of time to wait between pregnancies that will work for everyone. Talk with your health care provider about the factors that are important for you to think about.

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