Common Checks

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Throughout your pregnancy, you'll have regular antenatal appointments to check you and your baby are well, and to spot potential problems before they become serious.

You'll probably have between eight and a dozen appointments; most of them will take place in the midwives' or GP's clinic, or at home. If you're having your baby in hospital you'll have some appointments at the antenatal clinic there.

Getting booked in

The booking appointment is the first major appointment, usually at about eight to 12 weeks.

You'll be asked about your health and where you want to have your baby (so a place can be booked for you). You can change your mind later. This is a good chance for you to ask questions too. Sometimes, the booking appointment takes place at your home, with a community midwife (a midwife who doesn't work in a hospital).

Testing time

The tests and checks you are offered in your antenatal care include:

Blood test: this will identify your blood group, and see whether your blood is Rhesus positive or negative (if you are Rhesus negative and your baby is Rhesus positive, this might mean you or your baby need treatment), and check for illnesses or conditions that could affect you, or your baby's health. Blood tests are quick and easy, and don't involve more than the equivalent of a spoonful of blood taken with a syringe. You may have blood tests later to check you are not anaemic, and to check for a substance called AFP which may indicate a raised risk of your baby having spina bifida.

Blood pressure: checked at most antenatal appointments, with a fabric cuff wrapped round your arm, which is then inflated with a little pump. The cuff is linked to a device that measures the blood pressure. Using a stethoscope, the midwife also listens to the changes in the sound of your pulse while the cuff is deflating. The test checks your blood pressure isn't too high, which could affect your health and your baby's (the placenta doesn't work as efficiently if blood pressure is too high). High blood pressure is also one of the signs of pre-eclampsia, a disorder of pregnancy which can be serious for mother and baby, and which needs monitoring.

Urine test: your urine is tested for protein and sugar. You'll be asked to provide a sample at the time of the appointment, or you can bring it in with you in a bottle. Sugar in the urine can mean gestational diabetes, a particular sort of diabetes that occurs in pregnancy. Protein can mean pre-eclampsia.

Palpation: all this means is your tummy is felt to see what size the baby is, and how he is lying in the uterus. Other tests Different health authorities test for different conditions. Some areas offer a mouthwash test to see if you are a carrier of the condition cystic fibrosis. Or you may be offered a blood test to check your risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome. Older mothers are usually offered amniocentesis, for the same reason; this test involves taking a sample of the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. Weighing in Most mothers are weighed at the start of their pregnancy, but these days you're less likely to be weighed every time. This is because we now know the information doesn't really say much about the baby's growth and health, and the weighing itself can make some women anxious.

Ultrasound An ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves which bounce off solid objects – like your baby – to create a picture on a screen of what's inside your uterus. You may be offered a scan between 14 and 16 weeks, though different areas have different policies. The procedure is painless, and over with in a few minutes. You have to lie down with your tummy exposed. The technician – usually a radiographer, sometimes a midwife or doctor – spreads some gel on your tummy and then passes a hand-held instrument over your tummy. This transmits everything inside to a screen, where it forms a picture. If you have a scan in early pregnancy, you'll be asked to drink a lot of water so the bladder can push the uterus up a little. This helps the scan operator get a better picture. The scan can show:

your baby's size
the way your baby is lying in the uterus
how many babies there are!
your baby's organs, and bones It can also show:
your baby's sex, if he or she is lying in the right way for the sex organs to be scanned
some types of abnormality
the exact position of the baby and placenta (to enable needles to extract amniotic fluid for amniocentesis)
where the placenta is lying – in late pregnancy, a low-lying placenta might cause severe bleeding

Pregnancy Jargon Special Checks