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What happens at your first midwife appointment (booking appointment) including questions, blood tests and checks.
As soon as you find out you are pregnant, contact a GP or midwife and they will help you book your first appointment.
Your first midwife appointment (also called the booking appointment) should happen before you're 10 weeks pregnant. This is because you'll be offered some tests that should be done before 10 weeks.
If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant and have not seen a GP or midwife, contact a GP or midwife as soon as possible.
You'll still have your first midwife appointment and start your NHS pregnancy journey.
Your first appointment may take place in:
Where the appointment happens depends on the pregnancy services in your area.
The appointment usually takes around an hour.
Your midwife will ask some questions to help find out what care you need.
They may ask about:
The first appointment is a chance to tell your midwife if you need help or are worried about anything that might affect your pregnancy. This could include domestic abuse or violence, sexual abuse, or female genital mutilation (FGM).
FGM can cause problems during labour and birth. It's important you tell your midwife or doctor if this has happened to you.
Your midwife will ask if they can:
They'll also offer you a blood test for sickle cell and thalassaemia (blood disorders that can be passed on to the baby) if they think there's a high chance you might have them. They'll work out your chance by asking some questions.
Your midwife may give you information about:
Ask questions if you want to know more or do not understand something.
At the end of the first appointment, your midwife will give you your maternity notes. The notes may be digital in an app or website or written down in a book or folder.
These notes are a record of your health, appointments and test results in pregnancy. They also have useful phone numbers, for example your maternity unit or midwife team.
You should have these notes with you all the time until you have your baby. This is so healthcare staff can read about your pregnancy health if you need urgent medical care.
It's important to continue taking any medication prescribed unless your GP/specialist specifically tells you to stop. Please visit our Existing Health Conditions page for more information, or visit 'Bumps' ('Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy').
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