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Are you in early pregnancy or thinking about having a baby? This page will provide you with useful information regarding how to get in contact with a midwife, and pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy information.
When you find out you are pregnant it is an exciting and life changing time. The maternity team at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust are committed to helping all women and their families to have a happy and healthy pregnancy and a safe birth of their baby.
Our dedicated staff work throughout Buckinghamshire offering a range of services from both hospital and community settings.
Please complete our self-registration form to inform us of your pregnancy – your GP may already have asked you to do this. You will need to click here to download the form as a Word document. Email the completed form to bht.maternityreferrals@nhs.net .
4 different options are available:
Your antenatal appointments may be held in either your GP surgery, a Children’s Centre, the Wycombe Birth Centre, or one of our antenatal clinics in Amersham, Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe Hospital. This will be dependent on where you live and if you are seeing your community midwife or one of the doctors in our obstetric teams.
Your first appointment with the midwife is known as the ‘booking’ appointment. This is where the midwife completes your maternity notes and provides pregnancy advice and discusses your preferences for your pregnancy and birth. The following information will be discussed with you, and you should try to read the leaflets/websites below before your booking appointment.
Screening tests for you and your baby
Vitamin D in pregnancy, breastfeeding and children under 5 years
Why do you need folic acid in pregnancy?
Which foods to avoid in pregnancy?
At your first pregnancy appointment, which is also known as your ‘booking’ appointment, the midwife will ask you about your pregnancy, medical and social history. The midwife will also discuss with you the type of care available to you, which is dependent on the history you give.
For women who are likely to have an uncomplicated pregnancy, it is recommended that your care be only with the midwife (Midwifery Led Care). If you are at higher risk of complications, your care throughout pregnancy and birth will be shared between the midwife and an obstetric team within the hospital (Consultant Led Care)
This first appointment is a good opportunity for you to ask any questions and normally takes about an hour. Anything you say to the midwife will be discussed in confidence.
After your first ‘booking’ visit, you will be asked to make future antenatal appointments. If for any reason you cannot make an appointment or want to change the time, it is very important that you telephone your GP surgery or community midwife, or the antenatal clinic where the appointment is. The Wycombe antenatal clinic number is 01494 425569 and Stoke Mandeville antenatal clinic is 01296 316140.
When a pregnancy is uncomplicated we will see you at the following times:
Weeks of Pregnancy |
First Baby / Subsequent Baby |
What to Expect at each appointment |
Who you will see |
Before 8 weeks |
All women |
Referral to our Maternity Service, either by: |
GP or midwife |
6-10 weeks |
All women |
‘Booking appointment’ with a midwife |
Midwife |
11-14 weeks |
All women |
‘Dating scan’ or combined screening for Down’s Syndrome, Edward’s and Patau’s. |
Scanning/Phlebotomist at Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe Hospital |
16 weeks |
All women |
Blood pressure, urine, wellbeing of mum and baby. Offer and organise ‘Quadruple test’ if missed combined screening. |
Midwife |
18 - 21 weeks |
All women |
Detailed scan of baby, looking at: head, face, body, limbs and internal organs. (‘Anomaly scan’) |
Scanning at Stoke Mandeville or Wycombe Hospital |
25 weeks |
First time mothers |
Blood pressure, urine, wellbeing of mum and baby |
Midwife |
28 weeks |
All women |
As 25 weeks. Repeat blood test for anaemia and antibodies* |
Midwife |
31 weeks |
First time mothers |
As 25 weeks |
Midwife |
34 & 36 weeks |
All women |
As 25 weeks plus discuss labour, birth and postnatal care. Final decision about where your baby will be born |
Midwife |
38 weeks |
All women |
As 25 weeks |
Midwife |
40 weeks |
First time mothers |
As 25 weeks plus offer membrane sweep |
Midwife |
41 weeks |
All women |
As 25 weeks plus offer membrane sweep and arrange induction of labour for overdue babies |
Midwife |
*If you are Rhesus (Rh D) negative you will require anti-D at 28 weeks. Your midwife will discuss this with you during your early appointments and plan your care with you.
If your pregnancy is more complex, your midwife and obstetrician will develop an individualised plan of care for you.
You will be given these at your booking appointment to keep with you during your pregnancy. You should always take them with you when you see your midwife, GP or attend the hospital for any reason. Midwives and doctors will write about each visit you have and ensure your test results are available to you.
After your baby is born, your notes will be retained by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
Let us know your comments, compliments and complaints so that we can listen, learn and respond
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