Victoria's hub for health services and business
A gateway to the strategies, policies, programs and services delivered by the Department of Health & Human Services.
Victorian government portal for older people, with information about government and community services and programs.
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Understanding your pain relief options can help you cope better with the pain of childbirth...
Sometimes, babies arrive early. It’s important to recognise premature labour, in case you and your baby need medical care...
Labour is divided into three stages. The first stage is dilation of the cervix from 0 to10 cm, the second stage is birth of the baby, and the third stage is delivery of the placenta. Labour typically...
If you are trying for a baby, to increase your chances of conceiving, it helps to know when you are at your most fertile, and when is the best time to have sex...
After having a baby, you need to choose an effective method of contraception if you don't want to have another baby straight away...
When a woman does not want to become a parent, her pregnancy options may include abortion or adoption...
Even women who aren't planning to have a baby should increase their folate intake in case of unplanned pregnancy...
Sometimes, a home pregnancy test may be positive when a woman isn’t pregnant...
It is best to take emergency contraception as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours of having unprotected sex, but it still works well within 96 hours (four days)...
Pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period, not from the date of conception...
Pregnancy is counted as 40 weeks, starting from the first day of the mother's last menstrual period...
All women experience pregnancy differently, and you will experience different symptoms at different stages of your pregnancy...
Some of the signs and symptoms of going into labour may include period-like cramps, backache, diarrhoea and contractions...
It’s helpful to have an idea of how your body may react to the different stages of pregnancy. It also helps to know how pregnancy may affect your emotions and feelings...
The odds of a young fertile couple conceiving by having sexual intercourse around the time of ovulation (the release of the egg from the ovary) are approximately one in five every month. Around nine...
Adoption can give a secure family life to children who can?t live with their birth family...
Surrogacy is a form of assisted reproductive treatment (ART) in which a woman carries a child within her uterus on behalf of another person or couple...
The odds of a young fertile couple conceiving by having sexual intercourse around the time of ovulation are approximately one in five every month...
A couple isn't suspected of fertility problems until they have tried and failed to conceive for one year...
Age affects the fertility of both men and women, and is the single biggest factor affecting a woman?s chance to conceive and have a healthy baby...
Compared with women in the healthy weight range, women who are carrying extra weight are less likely to conceive...
Morning sickness is typically at its worst early in the day but it can strike at any point during the day or night...
Some foods should be avoided during pregnancy as they carry bacteria that could harm your unborn baby...
Make sure your abdominal muscles have healed before you do any vigorous tummy exercises, such as crunches...
There’s no safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy. It’s safest to not drink at all during pregnancy, when trying to conceive, and while breastfeeding...
Always consult with your doctor or midwife before starting any postnatal exercise program...
Immunisation can protect a woman and her unborn baby against many infectious diseases...
Smoking while pregnant exposes a woman and her unborn child to an increased risk of health problems...
Finding out you are pregnant can be a very exciting time. But it can also make you feel uncomfortable, unwell, worried and make you wonder how you are going to cope. And it doesn’t stop when the baby...
It's important to look after your teeth and gums when you're pregnant, as gum disease can affect your baby...
Tests can confirm your pregnancy and also monitor your baby's development in the womb...
Pelvic floor exercises are designed to improve muscle tone and prevent the need for corrective surgery...
Travelling to developing nations is not encouraged during pregnancy, due to the risk of disease and the standard of medical facilities...
Listeria infection is uncommon but very dangerous for the elderly, people whose immune systems are not working properly and pregnant women and their unborn babies...
Unless you have complications, you should be able to exercise throughout your pregnancy...
Bleeding from the vagina in early pregnancy happens in almost one in four pregnancies...
Women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or women whose partner is HIV-positive, may wish to have children but feel concerned about the risk of transmission of the virus to themselves (if...
Lupus can be controlled with medications, so the majority of affected women are able to have children...
Every newborn baby in Australia is offered a newborn bloodspot screening test to identify those at risk for rare, but serious, medical conditions including PKU, hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis...
Placenta previa means the placenta has implanted at the bottom of the uterus, over the cervix or close by...
There is no evidence that pre-eclampsia is caused by emotional stress, working too hard or not getting enough rest...
Pregnant women with asthma need to continue to take their asthma medication as it is important to the health of both mother and baby that the mother's asthma is well managed...
The cause of birth defects is often unknown, speak to your GP if you are at increased risk of having a baby with a congenital anomaly...
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears when the pregnancy is over...
An obstetric emergency may arise when a woman is pregnant, or during her delivery.In this case, extra care is needed. A woman may need a lot of tests and treatments, and extended hospital stays. She...
Ectopic pregnancy is caused by a fertilised egg not being able to move through the fallopian tube...
Postnatal depression can happen either a few days or weeks after the birth, with a slow or sudden onset...
Most molar pregnancies are diagnosed when bleeding early in pregnancy prompts an ultrasound scan...
A range of feelings is normal after a miscarriage, and they often linger for some time...
Good nutrition during pregnancy can help to keep you and your developing baby healthy...
Melissa shares her story of how her baby caught chickenpox at 5 weeks old...
The World Health Organization recommends that pregnant women should avoid alcohol...
It's very important for you and your baby to be looked after from the start of your pregnancy until after the birth of your baby...
Multiple births are more common due to the advancing average age of mothers and the rise in assisted reproductive techniques...
Packing for hospital is an exciting part of preparing for the birth of your baby...
Let your baby feed as much as they want in the first few days to help establish good breastfeeding patterns...
Breastfeeding within the first hour after birth allows your baby to behave instinctively and breastfeed with little intervention...
With low levels of vitamin K, some babies can have severe bleeding into the brain, causing significant brain damage...
Even if your baby furniture meets every safety standard and recommendation, your child still needs close supervision...
Every newborn baby in Australia is offered a test for rare, but serious, medical conditions. The conditions tested for are phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism and cystic fibrosis. You can choose whether...
Pregnant women are more sensitive to the effects of breathing in smoke from fires. Their symptoms can be worse at lower smoke concentrations compared to other people.Learn about the science of smoke exposure and the steps you can take to avoid smoke and protect your health.
From routine illnesses to more complex health problems, a GP can help with a huge range of health issues at all stages of your life. Learn more about the pros and cons of having a regular GP.