Antenatal care
You will have regular appointments with your midwife throughout your pregnancy, and your midwife will explain this process to you. This is known as antenatal care.
Your maternity notes and Badger Notes
Badger Notes
Badger Notes is an online portal and app that allows you to access your maternity records over the internet through your PC, tablet device or mobile phone.
The information that you view is generated in real-time from your hospital-based maternity system, using details entered by your midwife or other health professionals involved in your care.
This service allows you to have more convenient and timely access to key information, and also ensure that your choices on what you want to happen at each stage are clearly captured for all those caring for you to see.
If you are currently pregnant and have booked into our services for your first midwife appointment, you will get a phone call from the maternity team once your referral has been received. Your midwife will give you a passcode for Badger Notes.
If you have paper notes, you should bring them with you to every health check, including GP and hospital appointments.
Tests and screening
Over 95% of all pregnancies in the UK result in the birth of a healthy baby, but tests and screening aims to detect problems early.
You will be offered a range of tests during your pregnancy, including blood tests and ultrasounds which:
- help make your pregnancy safer
- check the development and wellbeing of your baby
- screen for particular conditions
Find out more about antenatal checks and tests
Harmony test
The harmony test, also known as NIPT, is a DNA based test for 3 chromosomal abnormalities.
It's an enhanced screening test that is not routinely available through the NHS for uncomplicated pregnancies. But it can provide an additional level of reassurance.
The test can be carried out from 10 weeks of pregnancy. The service is provided by our fetal medicine consultants, who will support you through the test and the results.
For more information or if you would like to book an appointment, please contact the antenatal screening co-ordinators on 0300 422 2415 or 0300 422 6106. You can also email us a ghn-tr.ANSCO@nhs.net
If you have not received a call or letter with an appointment for your Anomaly scan by the end of week 16 of gestation, please contact us via ghn-tr.cghobstetricus@nhs.net.
Emails are checked minimum once daily and you should receive a follow up call or email within 3 working days
Ultrasound scans
Your ultrasound scans in pregnancy are very important clinical examinations that check your baby’s development. While we aim to make this an enjoyable experience for you, it is a medical appointment, so your sonographer will be focused on checking the development of your baby. This means that you can bring only one partner into the room with you. Unfortunately, children will not be allowed into the scan room.
- More than one supporter may be permitted in special circumstances, including surrogate pregnancies and if you require mental or physical health support. In this case, please advise a member of staff before your scan appointment.
- Remember that pregnancy scan appointments do not show on the Badger Notes app, so look out for separate letters with dates and times for scans.
Please feel free to ask any questions once your scan is complete, and don’t forget a card to pay for copies of your scan pictures.
NHS antenatal classes
If you are interested in our free NHS antenatal classes, please see our Antenatal classes webpage for more information, or speak to your community midwife.