Family Planning

Why Plan for Pregnancy?

Why Plan for Pregnancy?

Planning for pregnancy helps mothers and families birth children that are healthy and thrive. Premature birth is the leading cause of infant death in our community. Making changes to be as healthy as you can before you become pregnant is the best way to give you developing baby a healthy start!

Every sexually active person wanting to prevent an unplanned pregnancy should have a reliable method of birth control AND a plan in case they have a birth control emergency.

Planning a pregnancy gives people time to:

  • Make healthy lifestyle changes. These include quitting smoking, avoiding alcohol, stop using illicit drugs, and to start improving their eating habits and taking a multivitamin.
  • Lay the groundwork for a financially secure future. Finishing education or professional training and finding a job, or even finding a better job, can assist in the financial responsibility of having a baby.
  • Reduce stress by strengthening relationships with a spouse or partner, or trying to leave a violent or harmful situation.

Dynamic learning opportunities

  • Unplanned pregnancies are more likely to result in premature births, lower birth weights, and higher rates of illness and death. (Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, 2004).
  • Sickly babies cost more for their care. The financial burden of unhealthy babies is a long-term hardship for mothers, families, and our community as a whole.
  • Every $1.00 in tax money spent on contraceptive services saves an average of $3.00 on Medicaid costs for pregnancy-related health care and medical care for newborns. (Facts in Brief: Contraceptive Services, the Alan Guttmacher Institute, 2005).
  • Over half of all pregnancies in Forsyth County are unplanned (North Carolina State Center for Health Statistics, 2006).

Helping women become pregnant when they plan to can save babies’ lives, enhance the quality of life for families in our community, and reduce the medical costs we ALL pay.

Interested in visiting The Forsyth County Department of Public Healths Family Planning Clinic? Visit forsyth.cc/publichealth to learn more, or call the clinic at 336-703-3429.

Click to read more information on Before, Between and Beyond Pregnancy.

About Us

The Forsyth County Infant Mortality Reduction Coalition is a community partnership housed within the Forsyth County Department of Public Health.

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Our Contacts

799 North Highland Avenue
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

(336) 703-3260
(336) 703-3100

www.helpourbabies.org
www.forsyth.cc/publichealth