Antenatal Care
Women Day Services are located on Level 6 and encompasses the Day Assessment Unit, Ultrasound Department and Antenatal Clinic.
If you attend here you will have an allocated appointment to one of the areas. We are open Monday to Friday.
Day Assessment Unit (DAU)
If you are over 20 weeks pregnant and experience complications with your pregnancy you may be referred to our Day assessment unit located within the Lancaster Suite on Level 6.
During your appointment at the DAU, you will be assessed by a midwife, who may or may not need to involve a doctor in the consultation.
Your assessment could include:
- Observations, including your blood pressure, pulse and checking your urine
- Monitoring your baby's heart rate
- Blood tests
- An additional scan being arranged
The Fetal Medicine Unit is found within the Antenatal Day Assessment unit.
Find out more about vaccines during pregnancy.
What to bring with you?
Please bring your green notes with you when you come in for either an appointment, scan or indeed to have your baby.
You may well want to bring something with you to do as often visits involve a wait for results or to see another member of the team.
Antenatal Clinic
With the exception of women whose pregnancy has been assessed as high risk; your community midwife will provide nearly all of your antenatal care. This will be delivered either in your GP surgery or at a children's centre. The care we offer is based on NICE antenatal care guidelines and is tailored to meet your needs.
If any problems do develop during pregnancy, the community midwife will refer you to our antenatal clinic to be seen by one of our Obstetricians, or she may simply call the hospital to seek an opinion. Together we will form a plan based on your individual needs to help make sure your pregnancy is as safe and healthy as possible.
In the clinic our experienced staff have the expertise to look after women with medical conditions which may make their pregnancy higher risk.
We hold specialist clinics here for women who:
- Already have a medical condition, for example diabetes;
- Have had a problem in a previous pregnancy;
- Develop problems during their pregnancy;
- Are expecting more than one baby; and
- Any other type of pregnancy related conditions.
Find out more about vaccines during pregnancy.
When I attend Antenatal clinic how long will I be waiting?
Although we endeavor to see you in either scan or clinic within ½ hour of your appointment time, there can sometimes be delays. This occurs when problems arise with women or their unborn babies which take longer to deal with than expected. On these occasions we ask for your patience - if you feel that you have been waiting an excessive period of time then please discuss with a member of staff.
With this in mind we ask that you allow 2- 3 hours for your appointment particularly if you have appointments in both scan and clinic.
What if I have diabetes?
Our specialist Diabetes clinics care for women who have type 1 & 2 diabetes and also for those women who develop diabetes in pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes).
When you attend these clinics an Obstetrician, Endocrinologist (Diabetes Consultant) , a nurse specialist and dietician may also attend the clinic to discuss and plan your care with you. They will also provide dietary advice and support and to help monitor and control your diabetes.
Close monitoring of both yourself and your baby will be required. A glucose meter will be given to you to monitor your blood glucose level. Frequent visits will be necessary and when required an ultrasound scan examination will be performed.
Alcohol
When you drink, alcohol passes from your blood, through the placenta, to your baby. Your baby can't process alcohol as well as you can, and too much exposure to alcohol can seriously affect your baby's development. Because of this risk, avoid drinking alcohol if you're pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises women who are pregnant to avoid alcohol in the first three months in particular, because of the increased risk of miscarriage.
Drinking isn't just dangerous for the baby in the first three months: it can affect your baby throughout pregnancy. If you drink heavily during pregnancy, your baby could develop a group of problems known as foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children with this syndrome have restricted growth, facial abnormalities, and learning and behavioural disorders. Binge drinking and drinking more than one or two units once or twice a week may be associated with lesser forms of FAS. The risk is likely to be greater the more you drink.
If you have difficulties cutting down on alcohol , talk to your midwife ,or GP. They can put you in contact with councelling services and our specialist midwife who can support you.
Drugs/ Medications
To be safe, you should:
- Always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist before taking any medicine;
- Make sure your doctor, dentist or other healthcare professional knows you are pregnant before they prescribe anything or give you treatment;
- Talk to your doctor immediately if you take regular medication, ideally before you start trying for a baby or as soon as you find out you are pregnant.
Medicines and treatments that are usually safe include paracetamol, most antibiotics, dental treatments (including local anaesthetics), some types of immunisations (including tetanus and flu), and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). If in any doubt check with your midwife, doctor or pharmacist first.
Illegal drugs (street drugs), such as cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin can harm your baby. If you use any of these drugs it's important to talk to your maternity team straight away so they can give you advice and support to help you stop. They can also refer you to additional support.
To contact the Antenatal Clinic please call 01752 439795.
Vaccines
RSV bronchiolitis vaccine
Protect your baby from RSV bronchiolitis with a RSV vaccine from week 28 of your pregnancy.
- Vaccination clinics are available across Plymouth
- Midwives in the Antenatal Clinic and Day Assessment Unit can also provide the vaccination between 8am and 5pm during the week.
For more information, please speak to your Community Midwife.
Read the government guide to RSV vaccination for pregnant women
Pertussis (Whooping cough) Vaccine
Protect your baby from Whooping Cough with a Pertussis vaccine from week 16 of your pregnancy.
- Vaccinations are available from your GP surgery.
- Midwives in the Antenatal Clinic and Day Assessment Unit can also provide the vaccination between 8am and 5pm during the week.
For more information, please speak to your Community Midwife.
Read the government guide to Whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy