Booking your first appointment
Please register with us as soon as you find out you are pregnant. This should be before you are 10 weeks pregnant. We will contact you with a date for your first appointment with a midwife and you will be able to access free prescriptions, dentistry and other support.
To register with us please create a free My Pregnancy Notes account:
Register your pregnancyFor help, visit the My Pregnancy Notes page. If you have not heard from us by the time you are 8 weeks pregnant please phone 0113 487 0690.
Your first appointment with a midwife
Your first antenatal appointment will be when you are around 8 weeks pregnant. You will meet your community midwife at home or at a local health centre.
You will be asked lots of different questions. This helps your midwife to learn about your past medical history and lifestyle so that we can personalise and plan your care.
You will also be offered some checks and tests – this includes a blood test, urine test and a blood pressure check. You will be able to see your test results again by logging in to your My Pregnancy Notes account. You may also be invited to sign up to our research studies.
Your midwife will talk to you about how to stay healthy while you are pregnant and discuss the care you will get as your baby grows. They will be happy to answer any questions or talk about anything that is worrying you so please don’t be afraid to tell them how you are feeling.
If you have any early pregnancy concerns before your first midwife appointment, please contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice. Your doctor (GP) may refer you to the Early Pregnancy Unit at St James’s Hospital.
How many appointments will I need?
If this is your first baby you’ll have up to 10 antenatal appointments during your pregnancy. Your midwife will explain if you need more appointments or monitoring as your pregnancy progresses. If this is not your first baby you will usually need fewer appointments.
You can see the different appointments and tests in this Pregnancy Journey graphic.
Antenatal screening tests
Screening tests are offered during pregnancy to try to find any health conditions that you or your baby may have.
The tests – ultrasound scans, blood tests and a questionnaire – can help you make choices about care or treatment during pregnancy or after your baby is born. Please watch the video below for more details.
For information and specialist counselling please contact the Screening Team on 0113 2065530 or speak to your community midwife.
Screening tests for you and your baby
Katie is expecting a baby. During her pregnancy, she’ll be offered several screening tests to check for health conditions that could affect her or her baby. Katie can choose which tests, if any, she wants. During the first 10 weeks of her pregnancy, she’s offered screening for sickle cell and thalassemia. These are blood conditions that can be passed from parents to their children through their genes. The baby’s father may also be offered a test. If both parents are carriers, it doesn’t mean they have the condition, but there’s a chance that they can pass it on to their baby.
Between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy, a midwife offers her a blood test for 3 infectious diseases: HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis. She can choose which, if any, of these to be tested for. Screening for these 3 infections is best done early in pregnancy, but they can be offered at any time. If Katie has diabetes, she’ll be offered eye screening. During her pregnancy. At some point between
10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, Katie is offered the combined test. This is an ultrasound scan and blood test looking for Down’s syndrome, Edwards’ syndrome and Patau’s syndrome.
If the combined test cannot be done, she can have the quadruple test. Up to 20 weeks of pregnancy. This looks for Down’s syndrome only. Between 18 and 21 weeks of her pregnancy, Katie is offered another ultrasound scan called the 20-week scan. It looks for 11 physical conditions in her baby, for example, relating to the bones, heart, and brain. Towards the end of her pregnancy, a midwife will discuss the screening offered for her newborn baby, so she knows what to expect.
Katie’s offered a physical examination for Thomas within 3 days of him being born. This screens for conditions affecting his heart, eyes, and hips. As he’s a boy, his testicles will be checked too. A hearing test will also be offered. Depending on where they live, this may be in the hospital or at home. When Thomas is 5 days old, a midwife will offer the blood spot test. Also known as the heel prick test. This involves taking a few drops of blood from the heel. It screens for nine rare but serious conditions, such as cystic fibrosis. Remember, screening is always a choice. You can decide which tests, if any, are right for you and your baby. For more information or support, speak to a midwife or doctor.
The Generation Study
The Generation Study offers free testing for 200+ rare genetic conditions. Sign up when you’re pregnant and a sample of your baby’s cord blood will be taken shortly after birth. Register your interest and a member of our research team will contact you to explain more and help you sign up.
Ultrasound scans of your baby
You will have scans when you are around 12 weeks and 20 weeks pregnant. A sonographer from our radiology department will usually perform your scan. You will need to have a full bladder to make the image clear.
Your 11 – 14 week dating scan will show the number of babies you are having, how many weeks pregnant you are and could show any problems with your pregnancy. The scan takes around 20 to 30 minutes. If we can’t get a clear picture, we might ask you to come back on a different day.
Your 18 – 20 week screening scan looks in detail at your baby’s bones, heart, brain, spinal cord, face, kidneys and abdomen. It allows the sonographer to look for 11 rare conditions. You will also be able to find out the sex of your baby.
Scans usually take place in our Clarendon Wing Radiology department at Leeds General Infirmary or Antenatal Clinic in Gledhow Wing at St James’s Hospital. You will be sent a date, time and location for your scan appointment.
Please let your sonographer know if you would like to buy scan photos to take home. The cost is £7 for two or £10 for four mounted photos.
If there are any concerns at any of your scans, the sonographer may refer you for an extra scan or test with one of our specialist teams.
Ultrasound scan information video
Fetal Assessment Unit (FAU)
You may be referred to the Fetal Assessment Unit for a growth scan with one of our sonographers. Please see below for more information about what will happen at your appointment.
What will happen when I arrive for my appointment?
When you arrive at the hospital reception desk you will be asked to confirm how long you have lived in the UK. If you have not lived in the UK for the last 12 months, you will be asked to complete the NHS Eligibility Form.
For more information: Overseas patients
Contact us about an appointment
Please contact our patient admin team to change or cancel an appointment.
St James’s Hospital: 0113 2065180
Leeds General Infirmary: 0113 3926792
You can also access your letter and change your appointment using Patient Hub. In maternity this only applies to antenatal clinic appointments (e.g. to see a consultant) and fetal assessment appointments (e.g. for growth scans). Please use the link in your text message reminder to manage your appointment.
If you are concerned about bleeding in early pregnancy, please contact your community midwife or the maternity assessment centre. If you are before 14 weeks pregnant you will need a referral for early pregnancy care from the gynaecology team.
More information about antenatal appointments
The NHS website lists the appointments you’ll be offered and when you should have them.
Information about each antenatal appointmentIf you are working while you are pregnant your employer should allow you to have paid time off for antenatal appointments.
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