During Pregnancy
Pregnancy timeline
Have an emergency?
- Before 20 weeks, go to the ER
- After 20 weeks, go to the Assessment Room (2S-176)
- If it’s not really urgent, see your health care provider or family doctor
Need a family doctor?
- Try NYGH’s Family Medicine Teaching Unit
- Search on the CPSO Doctor Search
- Sign up on Health Care Connect
Remember to:
- Get your teeth cleaned
- Get a flu shot
- Arrange a doctor for your baby — GP or paediatrician
- Get a car seat
- Think about cord blood banking
Sign up for prenatal classes!
- Prenatal classes at NYGH
- Free online classes at Toronto Public Health
Common terms
Placenta: connects mom and baby. Provides babyès nutrients and oxygen and takes away its waste.
Amniotic fluid: babies float in a fluid actually made up of their urine. An ultrasound can measure this fluid.
Cervix: opening to uterus. Should stay tightly closed until the baby is ready to be born. During labour it should dilate to 10 cm.
Rectum: where you store stools (poo)
Fetus: what we call the baby when it’s still inside the mother.
Uterus: muscular structure where your baby, placenta, amniotic fluid are located.
Bladder: where you store urine. The baby presses against the bladder and this is why you might have to pee frequently in pregnancy.
Vagina: the passage through which a baby is born in a vaginal or “natural˜ delivery.
Wash your hands
Performing hand hygiene (e.g. washing one’s hands with soap and water or using an alcohol hand rub) is the most important method of preventing the spread of infection in the hospital. This is why you will see all the staff washing their hands before and after caring for their patients. We encourage patients, families and visitors to also wash their hands frequently.
Get a flu shot
Getting the flu can cause serious problems when you are pregnant. Even if you are generally healthy, changes in immune, heart, and lung functions during pregnancy make you more likely to get seriously ill from the flu. Pregnant women who get the flu are at higher risk of hospitalization, and even death than non-pregnant women. Severe illness in the pregnant mother can also be dangerous to her fetus. When you get your flu shot, your body starts to make antibodies that help protect you and your baby against the flu. Antibodies can be passed on to your unborn baby, and help protect the baby for up to six (6) months after he or she is born. Prevention is better than a cure— get your shot today! Read a flyer on getting the flu shot when pregnant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Say Thanks
From the best medical treatments to the little things that make a difference, our staff go the extra mile to provide exceptional care. You can now acknowledge the meaningful experience you and your family had at North York General Hospital by making a donation in honour of your doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, volunteers and support staff. When you do, they will receive a unique pin and a card with your personal message of thanks. Your gift will help to ensure that our hospital can continue to provide our patients with the best care today, and drive the health innovations of tomorrow. Visit the North York General Foundation website.
You can also contact the Patient Experience Office to provide feedback about your experience at NYGH.
NOTE
Please do not rely on the information on this website as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional health care provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter, consult your health care provider. If you think you may be suffering from any medical condition, seek immediate medical attention. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website.