Antenatal care

• Food to avoid:

  • Food containing listeria - soft mould ripened cheeses (brie), unpasteurized milk or cheese and pate
  • Listeria infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe illness in the newborn
  • Foods containing salmonella - uncooked or undercooked ready prepared meals, uncooked or cured meat, raw shellfish - unlikely to harm baby but can cause severe maternal illness
  • High levels of vitamin A - liver and liver products - increased risk of birth defects
  • High levels of mercury - shark, swordfish - can affect the nervous system of the foetus - learning or behavioural problems
• Fruit and vegetables should be washed to reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis:

  • Parasitic infection with toxoplasma gondii
  • Spontaneous abortion
  • Stillbirth
  • Foetal anomalies
• Ultrasound scans for uncomplicated pregnancy:

  • 2 scans after booking appointment
  • Dating scan between 11+2 and 14+1 weeks - measures crown-rump length (gestational age), forms part of combined screening test
  • Foetal anomaly scan between 18-20 weeks - also locates placenta
• Routine appointments following first contact:

  • Nulliparous women - 10 appointments
  • Parous women - 7 appointments
  • Symphysis fundal height from 24 weeks onwards
  • Foetal presentation from 36 weeks onwards
  • urine dipstick for protein
  • Blood pressure
  • Urine for MC+S for asymptomatic bacteriuria
• There are two vaccines offered to all pregnant women:

  • Whooping cough (pertussis) from 16 weeks gestation
  • Influenza (flu) when available in autumn or winter