Now that you have had your pregnancy confirmed, and you have made your decision to continue with your pregnancy, you will now need to make an appointment to see your community midwife/GP to plan for your care for the rest of your pregnancy.

You will need to start taking Folic Acid Have a good, healthy diet ( at least 5 fruit / vegtables per day). You will also have a healthy start voucher, completed by your community midwife – please send this off as soon as possible as it is worth around £2.80 & isn’t backdated. You need to decide what hospital you wish to deliver at. You will have a set of green notes, completed by your midwife, which will contain your personal details, health, any investigation, blood tests & scans that you have had done in your pregnancy. These notes are your responsibility. You must ensure that they are kept clean & safe & that you take them with you each time you visit the hospital or your midwife. A referral to young parent support - specialist midwife is given to you to provide additional support during you pregnancy. You will have your first hospital appointment for a scan at approximately 12 weeks. From this scan, we can give you an estimated date delivery (EDD). At this visit, you will have your blood pressure checked & a sample of urine taken from you. (You need to take a sample of urine each time you visit the hospital or your GP to see the midwife.

You will also have to have your height and weight measurements taken & your body mass index (BMI) calculated. This will enable the service to customise a growth chart which is unique to you & will help your baby’s growth throughout your pregnancy.

Blood tests will also be done at this stage. It is only 1 blood test, but a number of bottles will be taken. This will be done by either your midwife at your Dr’s surgery, or at the hospital.
Your blood group and type, antibodies, rubella status will be tested, & also if you have any sexually transmitted infections. We also check if you are a carrier/or have sickle cell disease & also thalasaemia.
HIV testing is another blood test offered that is optional, but is encouraged to be accepted, and can be tested at the same time as the bloods above.

Another blood test is offered ideally at 16-18 weeks.

This is to see if the mom carries risk of having a baby born with either downs syndrome or spina bifida. This is known as triple test (you will receive further information and counselling when you book at the hospital)

At 20 weeks gestation, you will be offered another scan known as the mid T scan. This scan looks for abnormal aswell as normal physiology of the baby.

The sex of the baby can sometimes be determined at this point, but is not always possible, so don’t be disappointed if the sonographer is unable to tell you.  

 

If you are having your baby at Sandwell women’s health unit, you will be offered additional support from the young parent support service.  You will see a specialist midwife for young parents at 28 weeks & 34 weeks. At the 28 week appointment, you will have a growth scan to check if the baby is growing well.

You will also have a further blood test to check your iron levels and to insure that no antibodies are in your blood. If your blood group is negative, you will have the anti D injection. Also your blood pressure & a urine sample will be checked.

Your specialist midwife will then complete a weeds assessment form. This will determine what level of support you require, if any. Throughout the rest of your pregnancy & when you have had your baby, a package of care will be devised according to your needs.

At 34 weeks you will have a further scan to check your baby’s growth. You will also have your blood pressure & a sample of urine checked again. Also, you will receive the results of the tests done at 28 weeks. If your blood group is rhesus negative, the a 2nd dose of anti D will be given. The specialist midwife will also go through your birth plan if you wish.

This will also include the signs of labour & signs of pre-eclampsia. If all is well at this visit then you will continue to see a community midwife at the surgery until you deliver.

Services offered by young parent support in Sandwell:-

Designated young parents clinic – 28 & 34 weeks – Connextions & welfare rights also have a drop in at the same time. Antenatal clinic on a Tuesday at Batmanshill PRU – For statutory school age mums. Emotional Support. Parent Education. Home visits to complete needs assessments / emotional support. Sign posting to various services that young parents to be may require. Close partnership working with other agencies to ensure maximum support. Weeds assessment completed on all young parents to be and a package of care devised according to the needs. Support for young dads / young dads to be

Contact number given to all young parents

For further advice please contact:-