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• Spiritual beliefs: Do you practice any specific religion? How do your spiritual beliefs affect
your desire to have a child? Do you have a spiritual leader with whom you would like to
consult during your prenatal period, and during the process of labor and delivery?
Health Coverage Planning
You should check with your health plan about maternity benefits before you become pregnant.
Request information from your plan on exactly what maternity benefits are covered. If the coverage
does not meet your needs, consider switching plans during open enrollment. A comprehensive
benefits package should include:
• Amniocentesis, ultrasounds, and sonograms.
• Breastfeeding counseling and instruction.
• Contraceptive agents.
• Immunizations (e.g., influenza, hepatitis B, tetanus).
• Labor and delivery.
• Maternal depression screening, counseling, and treatment.
• Newborn hearing screening.
• Newborn screening for genetic and endocrine disorders.
• Postpartum care.
• Preconception counseling (e.g., alcohol and tobacco cessation).
• Preeclampia screening.
• Prenatal care visits
• Preventive and treatment services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
• Rh (D) incompatibility screening and preventive interventions.
• Rubella susceptibility screening.
• Screening for Down syndrome and other common genetic disorders, and neural tube defects.
Your employer-sponsored health plan may also cover additional services such as doulas (medical
paraprofessionals who provide support to women during labor and delivery), visiting nurse programs
(which reduce stress by helping a new mother learn child care techniques in the home environment),
or new parent education and counseling.
Also remember to investigate what special health promotion services your employer provides at the
worksite. For example, does your employer offer parenting programs for expectant or new parents?
Does your employer have an employee assistance program (EAP)? Does the EAP offer support
groups for new parents?
Avoiding Unintended Pregnancy