Lactating and pregnant individuals have unique needs during preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods, and they commonly seek integrative care and education to support their health and the health of their babies. (1)(3)(4)
Integrative practitioners are in an ideal position to provide guidance and trusted resources to patients preparing for pregnancy and parenthood. Read on to discover medical and patient resources for pregnancy, maternity care, and lactation support.
Before prescribing new supplements, always collect a complete history from your patients to ensure that the herbs and other supplements you’re recommending do not interfere with any medications they’re currently taking. For more information regarding drug-nutrient interactions, visit the Fullscript blog.
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Top 10 sources for lactation and pregnancy resources
Below are ten of the top resources for pregnancy and lactation to use in your practice.
1. American Academy of Family Physicians
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has developed a Breastfeeding Support and Resources Toolkit that includes resources to help you encourage and support your patients with breastfeeding. This toolkit includes:
- Office-based tools, such as clinical guidelines, patient education, and billing information
- A list of community partners and resources
- The AAFP position paper on breastfeeding, including the most recent scientific evidence and recommendations
- Additional education and guidelines for the promotion of breastfeeding in clinical practice
2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a non-profit professional organization that provides women’s healthcare guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists (OB/GYNs) and other medical professionals. Their website aims to empower and educate patients about women’s health, including healthy living, development, aging, and pregnancy. They also provide a number of resources for healthcare professionals working with underserved communities, such as individuals belonging to LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and rural communities.
3. American Pregnancy Association
The American Pregnancy Association is a national health organization that promotes education, research, advocacy, and community awareness for reproductive health and pregnancy. The organization provides information and services to assist patients throughout preconception, pregnancy, and beyond—from getting pregnant to supporting a healthy pregnancy or navigating an unplanned pregnancy. On their website, you’ll find education as well as practical resources, such as recipes, a fertility product guide, and ovulation and due date calendars.
4. BIPOC Women’s Health Network
The BIPOC Women’s Health Network, founded by medical students, provides education on culturally competent, LGBTQ+, and gender-affirming healthcare. They provide resources for healthcare providers, students, and patients on key women’s health topics such as gender-based violence, sexual health, and reproductive health.
5. DONA International
Research suggests that mothers who receive assistance from doulas during pregnancy and birth have better health outcomes. According to one study, doula-assisted mothers, compared to those who didn’t receive assistance from doulas, were more likely to initiate breastfeeding and were less likely to have a baby with low-birth-weight or experience birth complications. (2) Founded in 1992, DONA International is a non-profit organization offering doula certification and a directory to help patients connect with a doula in their area.
6. Fullscript resources
Dietary supplements are a key component of many integrative treatment plans. Fullscript makes recommending supplements easy by providing evidence-based, customizable protocols. This pregnancy support protocol includes formulations and ingredients that have been associated with improved health outcomes in pregnant individuals, including multivitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, ginger, calcium, and magnesium.
In addition to protocols, Fullscript has developed numerous educational materials to help support your treatment plans and simplify patient education. The Fullscript blog and the resource library, available within your Fullscript account, include articles, handouts, guides, and more on a range of common health topics, including women’s health and pregnancy.
Below are some of Fullscript’s top patient resources for pregnancy:
- Exercise during pregnancy handout (available in-app!)
- Hospital/birth center bag checklist (available in-app!)
- Preparing for childbirth blog
- Top prenatal supplements to consider when expecting blog
- How to prepare for pregnancy blog
- Gestational diabetes blog
- Taking care of your mental health during pregnancy blog
- Breastfeeding tips blog
- How to prevent and treat mastitis blog
7. La Leche League
La Leche League in an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization providing advocacy, education, and training related to breastfeeding. Through education and parent-to-parent support, La Leche League helps parents breastfeed, chestfeed, and human milk feed their babies.
Visit their international and national websites here:
8. Natural Medicines Therapeutic Research Center
Natural Medicines is a subscription service for clinicians offering a comprehensive database of information for natural medicines and integrative therapies. In addition to a library of knowledge, Natural Medicines provides access to tools like interactions and depletions checkers, safety and effectiveness ratings, and a commercial products database. The pregnancy and lactation checker tool also allows you to explore the safety of various therapies used during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
9. Public Health Agency of Canada
The Government of Canada’s Public Health Agency provides health promotion resources for various public health concerns. “Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy” addresses common questions and considerations for new and expectant parents. In the guide, you can find helpful resources and recommendations for:
- Prenatal nutrition (including folic acid intake)
- Physical activity
- Substance use (alcohol, tobacco and vaping, cannabis)
- Oral, mental, and sexual health
- Childbirth
- Postpartum care and breastfeeding
- Infant development
10. Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) is a professional association of health professionals working in the field of women’s reproductive and sexual health. SOGC aims to “promote excellence in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology, and to advance the health of women at home and around the world through leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and education.”
Their website, PregnancyInfo.ca, provides patient and medical education for women before conception, throughout pregnancy and birth, and during the postpartum period.
The bottom line
As a healthcare provider, education is key—whether it’s educating yourself on the newest clinical guidelines or sharing the right resources with your patients. The organizations and resources included in this article can help you support your patients before conception, throughout their pregnancy journey, and during the postpartum period.
Know of other great resources to share with colleagues and patients? Leave a comment with your recommendations below!
Community feature: Vitamin Angels
Vitamin Angels is a global non-profit organization focused on promoting health equity and providing access to adequate nutrition for underserved communities—pregnant individuals, new parents, and infants and young children in need.
Learn more about Vitamin Angels and how they’re supporting reproductive and maternal health.
Ready to start delivering better patient care?
Join 70,000 practitioners who rely on Fullscript to dispense top-quality supplements to their patients.
Try Fullscript for free- Barnes, L., Barclay, L., McCaffery, K., & Aslani, P. (2018). Complementary medicine products used in pregnancy and lactation and an examination of the information sources accessed pertaining to maternal health literacy: a systematic review of qualitative studies. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 18(1).
- Gruber, K. J., Cupito, S., & Dobson, C. F. (2013). Impact of Doulas on Healthy Birth Outcomes. Journal of Perinatal Education, 22(1), 49–58.
- Holden, S. C., Gardiner, P., Birdee, G. S., Davis, R. J., & Yeh, G. Y. (2015). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Women During Pregnancy and Childbearing Years. Birth-issues in Perinatal Care, 42(3), 261–269.
- Sayakhot, P., & Carolan-Olah, M. (2016). Internet use by pregnant women seeking pregnancy-related information: a systematic review. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16(1).