Healthy Before Pregnancy

In our state most babies are born to women in their young adult years. The North Carolina Preconception Health Campaign designed the “Healthy Before Pregnancy” curriculum to reach those first time mothers with important health messages well before they become pregnant. Reaching young people in their teen years gives them time to achieve their health goals to better improve their chances of having healthy babies in the future. It also may help prevent future unintended pregnancies.

The “Healthy Before Pregnancy” curriculum is a simple, easy-to-use curriculum, intended for teachers to educate students on why North Carolina has some of the worst birth outcomes in the country and steps they can take now and later in their lives so that more of our state’s babies will be born healthy. It was designed to meet many of the NC Standard Course of Study objectives for Family and Consumer Science classes and is in compliance with the Healthy Youth Act.

The curriculum has been tested with teachers and students in different parts of the state. The feedback we have received is that it is consistent with and complementary to the mandatory curriculum requirements for Family and Consumer Science classes. The curriculum may also be useful in health related and science classes.

The “Healthy Before Pregnancy” Curriculum has three basic goals:

1. Increase students’ knowledge of the various pathways that can lead to poor birth outcomes
2. Increase students’ knowledge about how their current lifestyle and health choices can impact their future reproductive outcomes
3. Give students the knowledge and skills they need to plan their “healthy” reproductive lives

The “Healthy Before Pregnancy” Curriculum

• Pre/posttests and Answer Keys (Word, 252KB)
• Classroom and Self-Study Activities and Handouts (Word, 369KB)

All information provided in this curriculum is believed to be accurate and reliable; however, the March of Dimes and the North Carolina Preconception Health Campaign assume no responsibility for the use of this information.

Teachers in North Carolina are granted permission to copy and distribute files, documents, and information for their classrooms. Other individuals and agencies should contact Rocio Anderson the March of Dimes North Carolina Chapter at 919-771-4484 or mail@marchofdimes.org to request use of these materials.

Photos appearing in this curriculum have been purchased with a license for limited use. Copying of any photos appearing in this curriculum is strictly prohibited.