The more you know about your pregnancy and your options, the more you are likely to feel in control. The information given here is based on The Pregnancy Book, which your midwife should give you at your first appointment.

Before you are pregnant

All about conception and getting pregnant

Thinking about the next baby?

Your pregnancy and labour

You and your baby

General pregnancy topics

Children's Immunisation Schedule

Here's a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them.

Routine childhood immunisations

Age	Vaccines
8 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine Rotavirus vaccine MenB
12 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose)
16 weeks	6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) MenB (2nd dose)
1 year	Hib/MenC (1st dose) MMR (1st dose) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (2nd dose) MenB (3rd dose)
2 to 10 years	Flu vaccine (every year)
3 years and 4 months	MMR (2nd dose) 4-in-1 pre-school booster

Please note

** Where two or more injections are required at once, these should ideally be given in different limbs. Where this is not possible, injections in the same limb should be given 2.5cm apart.

Immunisations for at-risk children

At-risk group	Vaccines
Babies born to mothers who have hepatitis B	Hepatitis B vaccine at birth, 4 weeks and 12 months
Children born in areas of the country where there are high numbers of TB cases	BCG tuberculosis (TB) vaccine at birth
Children whose parents or grandparents were born in a country with many cases of TB	BCG tuberculosis (TB) vaccine at birth
Children 6 months to 17 years old with long-term health conditions	Children's flu vaccine every year

Childrens Health

There is a good guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children. There is advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted.

NHS childhood illness slideshow

When Should I Worry?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control. This booklet is for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

a close up of a device Download the booklet

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Routine childhood immunisations

12 to 13 years	HPV vaccine
14 years	3-in-1 teenage booster MenACWY

Please note

** Where two or more injections are required at once, these should ideally be given in different limbs. Where this is not possible, injections in the same limb should be given 2.5cm apart.

When Should I Worry?

Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control. This booklet is for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

a close up of a device Download the booklet

There is a good guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children. There is advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted.

NHS childhood illness slideshow

Fevers

Most symptoms of a fever in young children can be managed at home with infant paracetamol. If the fever is very high, they may have an infection that needs treating with antibiotics.

Head Lice

Head lice are insects that live on the scalp and neck. They may make your head feel itchy. Although head lice may be embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable, they don't usually cause illness. However, they won't clear up on their own and you need to treat them promptly

Nosebleeds

Nosebleeds (also known as epistaxis) are fairly common, especially in children, and can generally be easily treated.

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Mens' Health

Five health symptoms men should not ignore:

"British men are paying the price for neglecting their health: more than 100,000 men a year die prematurely.

On average, men go to their GP half as often as women. It's important to be aware of changes to your health, and to see your GP immediately if you notice something that's not right." Find out more

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It usually develops slowly, so there may be no signs for many years.

Symptoms

Symptoms of prostate cancer do not usually appear until the prostate is large enough to affect the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra).

When this happens, you may notice things like:

an increased need to pee
straining while you pee
a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied

These symptoms aren't always caused by prostate cancer but if you have them, see your GP.

Find out more about the symptoms, causes and diagnosis of prostate cancer by using the resources below.

Resources

BUPA - Prostate Cancer

NHS Choices - Prostate Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Cancer of the testicle is 1 of the less common cancers, and tends to mostly affect men between 15 and 49 years of age.

What to Look Out For

The swelling or lump can be about the size of a pea, but may be larger.

Most lumps or swellings in the scrotum are not in the testicle and are not a sign of cancer, but they should never be ignored.

Testicular cancer can also cause other symptoms, including:

an increase in the firmness of a testicle
a difference in apperance between 1 testicle and the other
a dull ache or sharp pain in your testicles or scrotum, which may come and go
a feeling of heaviness in your scrotum

Resources

NHS - Information on Testicular Cancer

BUPA - Testicular Cancer

Sexual Problems

It's estimated 1 in 10 men has a problem related to having sex, such as premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction.

Sexual problems can affect any man, whether he is straight, gay, bisexual or transgender.

Find out more on NHS Choices

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

Cervical Screening (Smear Tests)

Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina. It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.

All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter.

During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix. The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called "high risk" types of HPV.

If these types of HPV are not found, you do not need any further tests.

If these types of HPV are found, the sample is then checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can then be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.

You'll get your results by letter, usually in about 2 weeks. It will explain what happens next.

For more information please visit: NHS Cervical Screening or Jo's Trust

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK. Most women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50, but younger women can also get breast cancer.

About 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. There's a good chance of recovery if it's detected at an early stage.

For this reason, it's vital that women check their breasts regularly for any changes and always have any changes examined by a GP.

In rare cases, men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. Find out more about breast cancer in men.

Click here to find out more about breast cancer screening

Macmillan Cancer Research
The causes and symptoms of breast cancer in women and explains how it is diagnosed and treated

NHS Choices
Symtpoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention & screening information

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

See the NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Seasonal Flu Vaccination

Influenza – flu – is a highly infectious and potentially serious illness caused by influenza viruses. Each year the make-up of the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to protect against the influenza viruses that the World Heal flujabs th Organization decide are most likely to be circulating in the coming winter.

Regular immunisation (vaccination) is given free of charge to the following at-risk people, to protect them from seasonal flu:

people aged 65 or over,
people with a serious medical condition
if you are pregnant
people living in a residential or nursing home
the main carers for an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer becomes ill
healthcare or social care professionals directly involved in patient care

For more information on flu immunisation, including background information on the vaccine and how you can get the jab, see Seasonal flu jab.

HPA - Season Flu Guide

Seasonal Flu Factsheet

Eating Well & Exercise - helping you maintain a healthy body

We're bombarded with scare stories about weight, from size zero to the obesity 'epidemic'. But a healthy body is determined by different factors for each of us.

NHS - Good Food Guide
Information on a healthy diet and ways to make it work for you

BBC Healthy Living - Nutrition
A good diet is central to overall good health, but which are the best foods to include in your meals, and which ones are best avoided? This section looks at the facts, to help you make realistic, informed choices

NHS - Why be active?
Even a little bit of exercise will make you feel better about yourself, boost your confidence and cut your risk of developing a serious illness.

BBC Healthy Living - Improve your levels of activity
Information and help for young and old about the benefits of increased physical activity & how to go about it!

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Sexual Health

cold Both men and women need to look after their sexual health and take time to understand the issues that surround contraception and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

For instance there are some STIs, like chlamydia, that you could be carrying without having any symptoms. This infection can affect fertility, so it's important to make use of the sexual health services available for free on the NHS.

Useful Resources:

Sex & Young People
A comprehensive guide to the questions you may have about sex from the NHS

Sexually Transmitted Infections
Issues, symptoms and treatments

Sexual Health FAQs
Expert answers from a qualified Doctor

FPA - The Sexual Health Charity
Sexual health advice and information on contraception, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy choices, abortion and planning a pregnancy.

Contraception

There are so many different types of contraception available that you should be able to find the right method. You may have to try several different things before you choose the one you like most.

Types of contraception

Useful Resources

Contraception - NHS Choices
Information on Contraception from NHS Choices including why, when and how it should be used and with links to other useful resources.

Hormonal Contraception
This factsheet is for women who are taking hormonal contraceptives, or who would like information about them.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is 1 of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the UK.

It's passed on through unprotected sex (sex without a condom) and is particularly common in sexually active teenagers and young adults.

If you live in England, are under 25 and are sexually active, it's recommended that you get tested for chlamydia every year or when you change sexual partner.

Click here for more information

These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Advice in your region

Family Health

Planning Your Pregnancy

Before you are pregnant

Your pregnancy and labour

You and your baby

General pregnancy topics

Child Health 0 - 5 Years

Children's Immunisation Schedule

Routine childhood immunisations

Please note

Immunisations for at-risk children

Childrens Health

When Should I Worry?

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

Child Health 6 to 15 Years

Routine childhood immunisations

Please note

When Should I Worry?

Fevers

Head Lice

Nosebleeds

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

Men

Mens' Health

Prostate Cancer

Symptoms

Resources

Testicular Cancer

What to Look Out For

Resources

Sexual Problems

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

Women

Cervical Screening (Smear Tests)

Breast Cancer

NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments

Seniors

Seasonal Flu Vaccination

Eating Well & Exercise - helping you maintain a healthy body

Sexual Health

Sexual Health

Useful Resources:

Contraception

Useful Resources

Chlamydia