Pregnancy and Women’s Health in WA

Deciding if or when to have a baby is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Whatever you choose, your Washington Wellpoint Apple Health (Medicaid) plan is here for you.

Caring for you and your baby

Whether you recently found out you’re pregnant or if you’re trying to become pregnant, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Download our Pregnancy and Beyond Resource Guide

Use this guide to learn about our Taking Care of Baby and Me® program and how you can support your well-being during pregnancy.

Pregnancy and Beyond Resource Guide (English)

Pregnancy and Beyond Resource Guide (Spanish)

Get answers to your questions

Our Health A to Z library has answers to your questions on topics such as pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.

Explore Pregnancy and Childbirth topics

Family planning resources in Washington

Access to quality family planning services and contraceptives is important. These give women and men control over their choices and whether they want to expand their families. Wellpoint members receive contraceptives, or birth control, at no cost.

You can set up a no-cost appointment to talk about family planning with your doctor. If you need to find a doctor, use the Find Care tool to find a provider near you. Call our 24-hour Nurse HelpLine at 866-864-2544 (TTY 711) for free, 24/7 medical advice.

Here you can find a list of resources about women’s health and wellness, family planning, and contraceptives.

Bedsider

Medline Plus

Women’s Health

National Institute of Health

Preconception health and healthcare

Show your love! Preconception healthcare app

Once you find out you’re pregnant

Schedule an appointment with your OB provider.

Prenatal care is very important for you and your baby. Your doctor will ask about your health, perform a physical exam, and tell you your baby’s due date.
Who is your OB provider? If you don’t have one, use the Find Care tool to find a provider near you.

Stay healthy and strong.

Eat healthy foods, stay active, and avoid tobacco, alcohol, and drugs
Go to your doctor and dentist regularly
Keep your vaccines up-to-date
Protect yourself from sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Enroll in Healthy Rewards.

You may be able to earn rewards for going to your prenatal and postpartum appointments. To enroll in our Healthy Rewards program, visit the Benefit Reward Hub or call the Healthy Rewards Customer Service Line at 888-990-8681 (TTY 711) Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time.

Thinking about having a baby?

There are steps you can take early on to have a healthy pregnancy – and a healthy baby, too.

Before you become pregnant, talk with your doctor about:

Planning to start a family.

Avoiding tobacco and alcohol.

Taking medications safely.

Taking folic acid.

Making sure your vaccines are up to date.

Staying active.

Eating healthy.

Taking care of you and your baby

Being a new parent is an exciting time, but it can bring some unexpected challenges.

Postpartum depression can occur after pregnancy. For more information on postpartum depression, talk to your doctor. You can also contact Postpartum Support International (PSI) at 800-944-4PPD (800-944-4773) (TTY 711).

Feeding support

Need help getting a breast pump? Call Member Services at 833-731-2167 (TTY 711). A case manager will help you.

WIC can also help you with breastfeeding support. Visit the WIC website or call your local WIC office.

Visit La Leche or call the La Leche League Breastfeeding Helpline at 877-452-5324.

Visit Infant Risk Center or call 806-352-2519 for questions about breastfeeding and medications.

Navigating the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)

If your baby is premature or has a serious health condition, they may have been admitted to the NICU. To support you, we have a NICU Case Management program. This program helps you to prepare yourself and your home for when your baby is released from the hospital. After your baby is home, our case managers continue to provide education and support to improve your baby’s health, prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions, and guide you to community resources if needed.

The MyPreemie app supports families with preemies.

Graham’s Foundation provides support, advocacy, and research for preemies and their families.

Supporting your partner when they’re pregnant

There are many ways you can be there for your partner during pregnancy:

Encourage early and regular prenatal care.

Attend appointments and birthing classes together.

Help your partner avoid tobacco and alcohol, stay active and eat healthy.

Find ways you can pitch in and help reduce stress during the pregnancy.

Be sure to take care of yourself, too. As you help your partner stay healthy, take these steps together:

Visit your doctor.

Make sure your immunizations are up to date.

Avoid tobacco and alcohol.

Stay active — spend time walking or exercising with your partner.

Eat healthy.

Your role as a parent is very important to the health and development of your baby. Be sure to check out all the resources on this page to learn more about what to expect during this time.

Coping with the loss of a baby

For help dealing with the loss of a baby, you can find resources here:

First Candle — Support for families who have had a pregnancy or infant loss, call 800-221-7437 (TTY 711). Grief counselors are on hand at no cost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

National SHARE — Pregnancy and infant loss support, call 800-821-6819 (TTY 711).

MISS Foundation — Support and resources after the death of a child, call 888-455-6477 (TTY 711).

Teens: Taking care of your health and planning for the future

You may have questions about sex, relationships, body changes, or birth control. When you get regular checkups, you can talk with your doctor. If you want to talk privately, ask your doctor if they can answer your questions without a parent in the room.