Chapter 3 Infographic: Pregnancy in Canada

Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada

Date published: 2020-01-27

Related Topics

• Chapter 3: Care during pregnancy
• Chapter 3 Fact sheet: Family-centred pregnancy experience
• Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines
• Fact sheets and infographics: Maternity and newborn care

Women receive the majority of their prenatal care from:

• Obstetrician 58%
• Family physician 34%
• Midwife 6%

Prenatal Education
66% of all primiparous women attend prenatal education classes

Involvement in Decision Making
73% of Canadian mothers are very satisfied with their level of personal involvement in decision making about their care during pregnancy, labour and birth and postpartum

Chronic Conditions
27% of pregnancies are affected by a chronic condition

Mental Health
16% of women are diagnosed with depression or treated with anti-depressants before they become pregnant

Medication Use
59% to 66% of women use prescription medication during pregnancy
67% of women use over-the-counter medications during pregnancy

Intimate Partner Violence
6-8% of pregnant women experience violence

Nausea and Vomiting
85% of pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting

Thyroid Disorders
3% of pregnant women have hypothyroidism
<1% of pregnant women have hyperthyroidism

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
5% of women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus

Substance Use
11% of women smoke cigarettes daily or occasionally during the last 3 months of pregnancy
11% of women drink alcohol during pregnancy
1% of women use illegal drugs during pregnancy

For references consult Chapter 1: Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care in Canada: Underlying Philosophy and Principles, Chapter 2: Preconception Care, Chapter 3: Care during Pregnancy and Chapter 4: Care during Labour and Birth in: Public Health Agency of Canada. Family-Centred Maternity and Newborn Care: National Guidelines. Ottawa (ON): PHAC; 2017/2018/2019.