Healthier Scotland. Scottish Government

Why plan pregnancy?

Getting healthy

If you can plan for pregnancy, it will give you and your partner the chance to adopt a healthier lifestyle. This could make getting pregnant, the pregnancy itself and childbirth easier.

Planning for pregnancy will also give you the chance to make sure both you and your partner are sexually healthy before you start trying to get pregnant.

Find out more on our page on sexual health and pregnancy.

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Jobs and careers

Planning pregnancy could make a big difference to your job and career.

If you've just started with a new employer, for example, mothers can expect a better deal on maternity pay, paid leave and how long your employer will be obliged to keep your job open if you can delay starting maternity leave.

Find out more about pregnancy and employment rights in the workplace on the DirectGov website

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Finances

Planning pregnancy will allow you to sort your finances out and, hopefully, to put away a little money to cover all those baby essentials.

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Family matters

If you already have children or other caring responsibilities, planning pregnancy could make it easier for you.

For example, it might be better to wait until young children start primary school before having another baby. If you intend relying on grandparents for some of your childcare, it might be wise to wait until they retire.

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Life experience

With age comes experience. There's nothing at all wrong with becoming a young parent, but the longer you wait the more the lessons you learn through living will help you cope with the stresses and strains of having a family.

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