Antenatal Screening

At your first booking appointment your community midwife will discuss and offer you a range of screening tests, the tests include blood tests and ultrasound scans of your baby.

The screening tests offered are to help identify any health problems that you may have or that could affect your baby. You will have been given a booklet to help you understand the screening tests available to you.

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This information is available in 13 different languages, easy read and MP3 audio files.

Further information is available on NHS Choices

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Screening is optional; choosing to have the screening tests is an important decision. It is a personal choice, you do not have to accept any of the tests offered, however you need to understand the information and the purpose of tests available to you to make an informed choice.

Some of the screening tests for Downs, Edwards' and Patau's Syndrome and sickle cell and thalassaemia may lead to difficult decisions and choices of whether  to or not to have an diagnostic test which may lead to a miscarriage and choosing if you decide to continue the pregnancy or not.

Some of the screening tests available can only be offered in early pregnancy and are time sensitive.

Please click here for the screening timeline.

You can find out more about the screening tests available to you by clicking the links below.

Blood Tests

Infectious diseases- HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis

Screening for inherited conditions Sickle cell and thalassaemia

Diabetic  eye retinal screening

What is the test for?

To check for signs of diabetic retinopathy and other eye problems caused by diabetes and monitor the health of your eyes if you are pregnant and have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

You will not need diabetic eye screening if you did not have diabetes before pregnancy.

Some women develop gestational diabetes in later pregnancy (28 weeks or more). Gestational diabetes can be treated through changes in diet and usually goes away once the baby is born. You will not be offered diabetic eye screening if you develop gestational diabetes.

Eye Screening Info

Screening Test Information

Ultrasound Scans

It is recommended in England that all women are offered a minimum of 2 ultrasound scans in their pregnancy. You will be offered an early pregnancy scan, which is usually performed at between 8 and 14+1weeks of pregnancy.

The purpose of the scan is to assess how many weeks pregnant you are, how many babies you are having and to check on your baby's wellbeing.

Dating scan 8-14+6 weeks of pregnancy

18+0 and 20+6 weeks pregnant you will be offered an anomaly scan.

The purpose of the scan is to look for any structural abnormalities (problems) your baby may have.

Follow the links for more details on:
Newborn Screening

Downs, Edwards and PatausSyndrome

Rash Awareness