If your pregnancy is straight forward, these are the appointments you should expect to have. You may need more appointments if you have certain medical or pregnancy needs. Appointments will normally be with a midwife, GP or obstetrician. The appointments at 25, 31 and 40 weeks are extra appointments if this is your first baby.
Booking Appointment (8-10 weeks)
After you self-refer, you will be contacted for your first appointment (also called your ‘booking’ appointment). This first appointment is the start of your care. The appointment usually lasts about 1 hour, this is when your midwife or doctor gets to know you, and anything that matters to you or may affect the care you need.
Dating Scan (10-14 weeks)
At your booking appointment you will be offered an ultrasound scan or “dating” scan. The dating scan is done by a sonographer and is used to find out when your baby is due (estimated due date or EDD) and to check your baby’s development. If you agree, they can also check for any chances of health problems like Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome.
16 weeks
Your doctor or midwife will talk about the results of your screening tests, check your blood pressure, test your CO levels and test your urine (wee). They will also talk about the ultrasound you’ll have at 18 to 20 weeks and answer any questions you have.
Anomaly Scan (18-21 weeks)
During this time, you will be offered an ultrasound to check your baby’s development. This ultrasound scan, often called the mid-pregnancy or anomaly scan and is offered to everyone. It is a medical exam, and you will be asked for your permission, but you can choose not to have it. Some people want to find out if their baby has a genetic condition, and some do not.
If you choose not to have the scan, your pregnancy care will continue as normal.
This screening scan looks in detail at your baby’s bones, heart, brain, spinal cord, face, kidneys and abdomen and allows the sonographer to look for these 11 rare conditions:
- anencephaly
- open spina bifida
- cleft lip
- diaphragmatic hernia
- gastroschisis
- exomphalos
- serious cardiac abnormalities
- bilateral renal agenesis
- lethal skeletal dysplasia
- Edwards’ syndrome, or T18
- Patau’s syndrome, or T13
The scan only looks for these conditions and cannot find everything that might be wrong.
Remember you can get the whooping cough vaccine between 16 and 32 weeks.
25 weeks (only if this is your first baby)
If this is your first baby, you’ll have an appointment at 25 weeks. The doctor or midwife will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee).
28 Weeks:
The doctor or midwife will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee). You will be offered another screening for iron deficiency anaemia at 28 weeks.
Remember to ask your midwife to issue your MATB1 form to give to your employer.
31 Weeks (First Baby):
If this is your first baby, you’ll have an appointment at 31 weeks. The doctor or midwife will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee).
34 Weeks:
Your doctor or midwife will talk about getting ready for birth and birth. They will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee).
36 Weeks:
Your doctor or midwife will talk about breastfeeding, caring for your baby, and taking care of yourself after the birth. They check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee), and check your baby’s position.
38 Weeks:
Your doctor or midwife will talk about what happens if your pregnancy goes past 41 weeks. You will be offered a membrane sweep at 39 weeks. They will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee).
40 Weeks (First Baby):
If this is your first baby, you’ll have an appointment at 40 weeks. The doctor or midwife will check your health, blood pressure, CO and urine (wee).
41 Weeks:
Your doctor or midwife check your blood pressure, CO, urine (wee). They will also discuss the options for inducing labour.
42 Weeks:
If you have not had your baby by 42 weeks, you may be offered more monitoring of your baby.
At every appointment your midwife will ask you about how you are feeling, and ask you if you have any questions or worries.
For more information visit:
NHS Choices screening_tests_for_you_and_your_baby[1].pdf (www.nhs.uk)
Antenatal Results & Choices www.arc-uk.org