What to expect at your first hospital appointment

In most cases, at around 12-16 weeks, you will have your first clinic appointment at the maternity unit, known as the Booking Clinic. You need to bring a letter from your GP confirming your pregnancy. The letter should include your date of birth, the date of your last period and your due date.

A detailed medical and family history will be compiled by a midwife, blood and urine samples will be taken, plus your height, weight and blood pressure will be checked. You will also undergo a general health assessment and receive advice on common pregnancy issues.

Follow-up appointments will be made. Usually you will be required to attend the antenatal clinic up to eight times prior to giving birth. If you can’t make an appointment, it’s important to call and ask for it to be rearranged as it can be offered to someone else. Antenatal appointments are not compulsory but are important to monitor the health of you and your baby.

Types of maternity care

Every woman is entitled to free maternity care (antenatal visits, care during labour and delivery, and up to six weeks after the birth). You are not guaranteed to see the same doctor/midwife at each antenatal visit. Public clinics are usually located in maternity hospitals or satellite clinics linked to the hospital. Some hospitals offer the choice to attend a midwife clinic, where you are more likely to be followed by the same healthcare professional, but these are only for low-risk pregnancies.

The alternative to this is semi-private or private care, which means you will be paying for some or all medical expenses. With semi-private care, you might not be guaranteed the same healthcare professional but can stay in a semi-private room if available. If you go for the private option, you will be followed by the same healthcare professional and stay in a private room if available. Combined antenatal care is shared care between your GP and hospital consultants and is available free of charge. This basically means you won’t need to go to the hospital as often and will be seeing your doctor. You can opt for this type of care even if you want semi-private or private care.

In some areas you can choose the Community and Domino Midwives scheme, but you need to have a low-risk pregnancy. This care is free and might allow you to have a home or hospital birth (but with the Domino scheme you give birth at the hospital).