You’ll have a number of antenatal appointments during your pregnancy, and you’ll see a midwife or sometimes an obstetrician (doctor specialising in pregnancy). Here we have created a guide on the standard Antenatal appointments in the UK, please note that some pregnancies require extra Antenatal appointments. If you’re pregnant with your first baby, you’ll have more appointments than those already with children.
Your First Contact With A Midwife/GP
You should always contact a GP or midwife as soon as possible after you find out that you’re pregnant. It’s best to see your midwife or doctor as early as possible to get the information you need to have a healthy pregnancy.
They should give you information about:
- folic acid supplements.
- nutrition, diet and food hygiene.
- lifestyle factors – such as smoking, drinking and recreational drug use.
- antenatal screening tests.
It’s important to tell your midwife or doctor if:
- there were any complications or infections in a previous pregnancy or delivery, such as pre-eclampsia or premature birth.
- you’re being treated for a long-term condition, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
- you or anyone in your family has previously had a baby with a health condition (for example, spina bifida).
- there’s a family history of an inherited condition (for example, sickle cell or cystic fibrosis).
- you know that you’re a genetic carrier of an inherited condition such as sickle cell or thalassaemia – you should also tell the midwife if you know the baby’s biological father is a genetic carrier of these conditions.
- you have had fertility treatment and either a donor egg or donor sperm.
First Midwife Appointment (between 8-12 weeks)
Your first appointment will take around 1 hour. You will have the opportunity to talk about your pregnancy and for them to take some important tests. The midwife will ask questions about your health, your family’s health, and your preferences for your pregnancy. Your midwife or doctor should give you information about:
- how the baby develops during pregnancy
- nutrition and diet
- exercise and pelvic floor exercises
- antenatal screening tests
- your antenatal care
- breastfeeding, including workshops
- antenatal education
- maternity benefits
- your options for where to have your baby
This appointment is an opportunity to tell your midwife or doctor if you’re in a vulnerable situation or if you need extra support.
8-14 Weeks Dating Scan
This is the ultrasound scan to give you an estimated due date, check the physical development of your baby, and screen for possible conditions, including Down’s syndrome. If you’d like to see baby before this point, firstScan offer early pregnancy scans from 6-15+6 weeks!
20 Week Scan
At this stage, you will be offered an ultrasound scan to check the physical development of your baby. This is also known as the 20-week scan. You can also find out the gender at this stage, but if you can’t wait that long, Window to the Womb offer early gender confirmation from 16-23 weeks!
25 Weeks Pregnant
You’ll have an appointment at 25 weeks if this is your first baby.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus.
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein.
28 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus.
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein.
- offer more screening tests.
- consider an iron supplement if you’re anaemic.
28 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus.
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein.
- offer more screening tests.
- consider an iron supplement if you’re anaemic.
34 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about preparing for labour and birth, including how to recognise active labour, ways of coping with pain in labour, and your birth plan.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- review, discuss and record the results of any screening tests from the last appointment.
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus.
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein.
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about caesarean section. This discussion may take place at the 34 week appointment, or at another time during your pregnancy.
They’ll discuss with you the reasons why a caesarean might be offered, what the procedure involves, the risks and benefits, and the implications for future pregnancies and births.
36 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor should give you information about:
- breastfeeding
- caring for your newborn baby
- vitamin K and screening tests for your newborn baby
- your own health after your baby is born
- the “baby blues” and postnatal depression
Your midwife or doctor will also:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- check the position of your baby
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein
38 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor will discuss the options and choices about what happens if your pregnancy lasts longer than 41 weeks.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein
40 Weeks Pregnant
You’ll have an appointment at 40 weeks if this is your first baby.
Your midwife or doctor should give you more information about what happens if your pregnancy lasts longer than 41 weeks.
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein
41 Weeks Pregnant
Your midwife or doctor should:
- use a tape measure to measure the size of your uterus
- measure your blood pressure and test your urine for protein
- offer a membrane sweep
- discuss the options and choices for induction of labour
42 Weeks
If you have not had your baby by 42 weeks and have chosen not to have an induction, you should be offered increased monitoring of the baby.
If at any point you need extra reassurance, or want to see baby in 4D, at Window to the Womb, we are proud to offer our families an outstanding level of care throughout your pregnancy journey. Our clinics offer a range of private ultrasound scans from 6-42 weeks gestation, and are conducted by fully qualified, medical Sonographers. Our goal is to ensure you feel safe during your baby scan experience, which is why our staff undergo extensive training. Our clinic teams strive to offer you a first-class experience, and are always on-hand to answer any of your pregnancy questions.
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/your-pregnancy-care/your-antenatal-appointments/