Antenatal Care

What will happen during the appointments?

The antenatal care you get throughout your pregnancy depends on:

• Your health and any risks you or your baby may have
• Your stage of pregnancy
• Any problems you may be experiencing

There will be a number of checks, scans, tests and discussions, such as:

• When the baby is due, what trimester you are in and what this means for you and your baby
• Finding out about your medical history, general health and how any previous pregnancies were
• Discussing any medication you are taking
• Ensuring you are up to date with cervical screening
• Making sure your mental health is ok, and supporting you if you have depression or anxiety
• Checking your blood pressure and weight and testing your urine
• Organising blood tests and screening
• Providing advice on healthy eating and lifestyle changes
• Feeling and measuring your tummy, and listening to the baby’s heartbeat
• Asking you about your home environment, work and what support you have. If you are experiencing family violence, this is a good opportunity for you to discuss it
• Checking about any physical symptoms that may be bothering you
• Running through your birth plan with you
• Talking about if something doesn’t go to plan during the birth
• Finding out about antenatal classes
• Advice about taking your baby home, feeding them and other care