Your Pregnancy Checklist for This Month

What should you be doing each month of pregnancy to stay safe and on track?

18/08/2026

First Trimester Checklist (Months 1–3)

Confirm pregnancy with a health provider. Register for ANC before 12 weeks. Enrol in Mutuelle de Santé if not already covered. Start folic acid and iron supplements daily as prescribed. Stop alcohol, smoking, and unnecessary medications. Tell your Community Health Worker (Umujyanama w'ubuzima) that you are pregnant. Sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net every night.

Attend your first full ANC visit and collect your ANC card. Receive HIV and syphilis tests, haemoglobin check, and other baseline tests. Receive your first tetanus toxoid vaccination if not previously vaccinated. Eat iron-rich foods (beans, lentils, dark leafy greens) daily alongside vitamin C-rich foods to improve absorption.

Second Trimester Checklist (Months 4–6)

Attend ANC at week 20 — bring your ANC card every time. Note when you first feel your baby move (weeks 18–22 for most women). Continue taking iron and folic acid every day. Have your anatomy ultrasound if recommended. Receive your second dose of IPTp-SP (malaria prevention). Check your tetanus vaccination status with your provider.

Start eating slightly more — approximately 300 extra calories per day from nutritious foods. Report any headache, vision changes, or facial swelling immediately to a health facility. Begin thinking about your birth plan — which facility, transport, and who will support you.

Third Trimester Checklist (Months 7–9)

Attend ANC at weeks 28–32 and 36–40 — bring your ANC card. Count your baby's movements daily from week 28 — any significant reduction requires same-day hospital attendance. Finalise your birth plan: facility, transport, support person. Pack your delivery bag at least 4 weeks before your due date.

Receive final doses of IPTp-SP. Continue iron and other supplements until delivery and postpartum. Know the warning signs of labour and when to go to hospital. Know the danger signs that require going to hospital immediately without waiting.

What to Have Ready Before Your Due Date

Prepare the following items and have them ready at least 4 weeks before your due date: your ANC card and all medical documents; Mutuelle de Santé card; National ID; clean clothes for you (3 changes) and your baby (3 sets); nappies and a blanket for your baby; sanitary pads for after delivery; money for transport and any facility costs; food and drink for your stay; prescribed medications; and a charged phone with emergency contacts saved.

Rwanda MoH recommends planning your delivery bag early because labour can begin unexpectedly before your due date. Having everything prepared reduces stress and ensures you can leave for the health facility quickly when the time comes.

Red Flags — When to Act Immediately

Do not wait for your next scheduled appointment if you experience any of the following: heavy vaginal bleeding; severe headache with blurred vision; sudden severe facial, hand, or leg swelling; fits or convulsions; high fever; severe abdominal pain; your baby moving significantly less than usual after week 28; your waters breaking; or regular, painful contractions before 37 weeks.

Go directly to your nearest hospital or health facility — day or night. Do not wait for your CHW. Do not call before going — leave immediately. These symptoms can progress to life-threatening emergencies within hours.

You're Pregnant: What Should You Do First?

The first actions you take after confirming a pregnancy set the foundation for your entire care journey. Here is what Rwanda Ministry of Health recommends you do immediately.

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