What to expect
Maternity: care during pregnancy
We're here to support and care for you during your pregnancy, when you're giving birth and after your baby is born.
You will see us throughout your pregnancy at different appointments. These include:
- your first midwife appointment
- your antenatal appointments
- scan appointments at St Thomas' Hospital
- specialist clinics, if needed
Community hubs
Our care is organised into community hubs based on your home address. The same midwifery team will care for you from your first booking appointment until around 10 days after you've given birth. The exact length of support will depend on your needs. You are then discharged into the care of the health visitor.
The benefits of this approach include:
- helping you build a strong relationship with your midwife and the team caring for you
- reducing travel time by being cared for at your local hub
You can find out more on our community midwives page.
Assessment
If you need assessment during your pregnancy, we can see you at our:
- early pregnancy and acute gynaecology unit (EPAGU), if you're less than 18 weeks pregnant
- maternity assessment unit (MAU), if you're more than 18 weeks pregnant
Along with the care for you and your unborn baby during your pregnancy, we also provide:
- specialist care for complex pregnancies
- antenatal classes
We offer specialist care during your pregnancy for:
- preterm surveillance if you're at risk of having your baby early
- sickle cell and thalassemia
- diabetes
- stopping smoking
- pelvic floor
- mental health
- consultant midwife birth choices clinic
- vaginal birth after caesarean section (VBAC) clinics
- hypertension in pregnancy
- obstetric medicine
Health information
We've produced some health information to help you during your pregnancy:
Wards
You'll stay on our antenatal ward if you need to stay in hospital during your pregnancy.
Team
Our maternity services are delivered by a dedicated team of:
- midwives
- obstetricians (doctors specialising in pregnancy and birth)
- sonographers (specialists in ultrasound scanning)
- specialist nursing staff
- maternity support workers
You can see a list of our consultants.