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Drs John Coffin and David Acorn Services & ClinicsAntenatal Clinic |
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Drs John Coffin and David Acorn Services & ClinicsAntenatal Clinic |
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Our maternity clinic is held every Wednesday afternoon starting at 2.00 p.m. by either the midwife or the doctor. If you think you are pregnant come and see the doctor during an ordinary surgery and bring a sample of urine (the first that you pass in the morning). Once your pregnancy is confirmed you need to see the midwife for a special appointment in the antenatal clinic which is held on a Wednesday afternoon. Tell the receptionist that this is a booking appointment for the antenatal clinic and that you specifically need to see the midwife. The receptionist will then know she needs to give you a longer appointment with the midwife because there are lots of forms to fill in. After this you will only need to come to the antenatal clinic, unless you develop a problem. What are antenatal checks for?Most women have a completely straightforward pregnancy and labour. A few have problems in pregnancy or labour and the antenatal checks help to detect these before they become serious. It is also a chance to ask any questions and meet your midwife. Plans can be made for your labour and arrangements can be made for you to visit the maternity unit so that when you go into labour it is not so unfamiliar. What happens at an antenatal check?The midwife or doctor will want to know how you have been feeling and about any problems you may have noticed. You may have questions about pregnancy or childbirth. We will check your blood pressure and test your urine, so bring a sample each time. We also check for swelling of the legs, hands and face, in order to detect the pregnancy related disease called eclampsia. Don't forget to bring a urine sample with you every time you come to the clinic Next we look at your tummy to see how the baby is growing and later in pregnancy we are interested to find which way up the baby is lying. We also listen to the baby's heart beat. How often do I need to come to the clinic?You need to come every 4 weeks up to the 28th week of your pregnancy, (we count the weeks of pregnancy starting from the beginning of your last period, rather than from conception). After 28 weeks we see you every 2 weeks, and after 36 weeks, every week. What about going to the hospital?The vast majority of mothers have their babies in
hospital. Most of our patients go to St John's hospital, Chelmsford. After you have seen us at the surgery we contact the hospital who will arrange for you to be assessed by the midwife either at St John's or at home. You will be offered two scans, one at 12 weeks to confirm the date when the baby is due, and one at 20 - 22 weeks to check for abnormalities. Blood tests for anaemia, blood group, hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) are offered at 16 weeks. These tests are performed to help us to protect the baby. You can also have a blood test and scan to help detect any problems such as Down's syndrome and spina bifida. You can discuss a "birth plan" with the midwife. |
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Antenatal checks can help to make sure you have a healthy child |
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