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Hastings and Prince Edward Public Health
woman holding pregnancy test

Preconception and Pregnancy

Preconception Health

Health care providers play a key role in encouraging health before pregnancy. You can integrate preconception health care into your practice by:

  • Helping your patients optimize their health and knowledge before conceiving.
  • Educating your patients with chronic conditions on the impact and/or adverse effects the condition or treatment could have on their infant.
  • Discussing risks associated with delayed childbearing with patients.
  • Using the Before, Between and Beyond Preconception Care Clinical Toolkit.
  • Using the Preconception Health Care Tool* (developed by the Centre for Effective Practice in partnership with the Ontario College of Family Physicians).

*Health care providers can use the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) billing code for individual care counselling (K013) to complete the Preconception Health Care Tool with their clients.

Pregnancy and Prenatal Education

Health Care providers can play a key role in encouraging their patients to participate in prenatal education opportunities. To do this, you can:

  • Inform all pregnant women about prenatal education as early as possible in their pregnancy.
  • Display promotional materials for prenatal education in your office or clinic. (Please contact HPEPH for current resources).
  • Use the Prenatal Key Messages for Ontario, in discussion with your patients.

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health provides a number of programs and services that support families throughout their pregnancy. Visit our Pregnancy page to learn more, or review information about our prenatal education services below.

Prenatal Smoking Cessation

Public Health offers a special smoking cessation program for women who are pregnant or who have a baby (up to 12 months of age) and want to quit smoking or vaping. If you have a pregnant patient or a new mom who interested in quitting, we encourage you to complete the online referral form or print the referral form and fax to Public Health at 613-966-1813.

HPEPH’s Prenatal Education Services

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, in partnership with the EarlyON Centres, the Prince Edward Family Health Team, and Quinte Health Care, offers free Prenatal Education.

These sessions are designed to help clients and their families experience a healthy pregnancy, have the healthiest baby possible, and be prepared for parenthood.

Expectant parents and support persons are encouraged to start prenatal education as early as possible in their pregnancy. Our Prenatal Education Services consist of:

  • InJoy eClasses, an online e-learning program
  • Two optional supplementary in-person sessions delivered by HPEPH Public Health Nurses and EarlyON Early Childhood Educators

More information about these services is available below.

E-learning Program: InJoy eClasses

InJoy eClasses are a free program that provides clients with information and resources that encourage a healthy pregnancy, in a web-based, mobile-friendly format. This is an interactive program with audio voice-over, closed captioning, videos and quizzes to help clients learn about pregnancy, labour and birth, and caring for their newborn. 

InJoy eClasses are recommended for clients expecting their first child, and are encouraged as a refresher even for those who have already had a child. Clients can access registration information on our Prenatal Education page.

After activation, clients will have access to their account for a period of 365 days. If pregnant women and/or support persons would like to participate in our in-persion sessions, they are required to complete the InJoy eClasses first.

In-Person Sessions

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all in-person prenatal classes have been suspended until further notice.

Pregnant women and support persons are required to complete the InJoy eClasses before taking the in-person sessions. The two (2) in-person sessions that are offered by HPEPH include:

1)    Breastfeeding. This session is a great way to connect with other expectant families and apply the knowledge learned in the Breastfeeding eClass through hands on activities and discussion.

2)    Labour and Birth. This session will take clients on a tour of the Belleville General Hospital Maternity Floor (Quinte 7) and provide them with a chance to ask a Public Health Nurse any questions that have come up during their eClasses.

Need More Information About Preconception and Pregnancy?

Call 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803, ext. 223, text 450-990-5551, or email CARELine@hpeph.ca.

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COVID-19 vaccines in HPE

Eligible individuals can receive their vaccination at many participating local pharmacies by contacting the pharmacy directly. Please visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for location and registration information.

Vaccine ordering for health care providers

Vaccine orders for routine immunizations and STI medications continue to be available through HPEPH by using our vaccine order forms; however, please note that our vaccine delivery/pickup procedure has changed. For the most up to date pick up schedule please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-orders-info-healthcare-providers/.