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What is antenatal care?

Having a baby is a life-changing event that is different for everyone. It is important to get the right care for you and your baby. That means arranging referral to an antenatal clinic as soon as possible after you discover you're pregnant.

Our leaflet called Planning to Become Pregnant also explains all the steps you should take before you get pregnant and in early pregnancy. And our pregnancy hub has a host of information on every aspect of your pregnancy.

My baby, my choice

There are several options for where you give birth to your baby. They include:

• Home birth.

• Freestanding birth centre (not directly attached to a hospital, one-to-one care from midwives and maternity support workers).

• Attached birth centre (a 'home from home' birth centre in a hospital, close to the main obstetric unit).

• Hospital labour ward or delivery suite.

The NHS is committed to providing choice to pregnant women. But do remember that not all these options are suitable for everyone, and not all are available in all areas. In particular, it would be very unwise to attempt a home delivery or deliver at a freestanding birth centre if your pregnancy is complicated in any way, because any transfer which needs to involve a journey by road will take a long time. Your midwife or GP will be able to discuss options for care during your pregnancy and delivery, including giving birth at home or in a midwife-led birth centre.

Your GP practice can give you details of your local midwifery service and how to contact them directly.

How to register for antenatal care on the NHS

Your GP can refer you to a hospital or a midwife-led team for antenatal care and delivery. But many NHS hospitals, and some midwife teams, also offer the option of self-referral. If you know which hospital or trust you want to have your baby in, and you live in their catchment area, you can refer yourself using one of the links below. This may be via an online form or a phone contact with your local midwives.

If you're not sure which trust or hospital you're allowed to book into for antenatal care, your GP practice will be able to let you know. Please note that not all hospitals allow self-referral. Otherwise, contact your GP.

Please be aware that self-referral is not available in every part of the UK. If you can't find the hospital you're looking for below, or if any of the links are not working. you can do a web search for 'antenatal self-referral' followed by the name of the hospital you're looking for. Otherwise, please search the NHS website or contact your GP.

Airedale General Hospital West Yorkshire

Ashford Hospital Surrey

Barking Community Birth Centre London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Barnet Hospital London

Basildon University Hospital Essex

Bedford Hospital Bedfordshire

Bolton NHS Foundation trust (information on community midwifery service, Princess Anne Maternity Unit, Royal Bolton Hospital)

Broomfield Hospital Chelmsford, Essex

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Buckland Hospital East Kent

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital London

Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Lancashire

Colchester Hospital Essex

Conquest Hospital East Sussex

Croydon Health Services (Croydon University Trust)

Darent Valley Hospital Kent

Doncaster Women's Hospital Yorkshire

Eastbourne District General Hospital East Sussex

East Kent Hospitals Maternity services are provided across East Kent in the community and in four different hospital settings; Buckland Hospital (Dover), Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (Margate) and the William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)

East Lancashire (details of delivery options - referral via GP or local Children's centre)

Epsom Hospital Surrey

Frimley Park Hospital Surrey

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital London

Harrogate and District Yorkshire

Hillingdon Hospital London

Hinchingbrooke HospitalCambridgeshire

Horton Midwifery Unit Banbury (information - no self-referral)

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals

Jersey (no routine self-referral available - contact your GP)

King George Hospital, Goodmayes, Essex (Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals)

King's College Hospital London

Kingston HospitalSurrey

Lewisham University Hospital London

Lister Hospital Hertfordshire

Liverpool Women's Hospital Merseyside

London North West University Healthcare

Macclesfield Maternity Unit Cheshire

Medway CCG Kent

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

Newham Hospital London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

North Bristol NHS Trust (birthplace options و self-referral)

North Devon District Hospital Devon

North Middlesex University Hospital London

Northwick Park Hospital London

Oxfordshire Community Midwives (information - no self-referral)

Peterborough City Hospital Cambridgeshire

Poole Hospital Dorset

Princess Royal Hospital Surrey

Princess Royal University Hospital London

Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital London

Queen Elizabeth Hospital London SE18

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital East Kent

Queen's Hospital Romford (Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals)

Rochdale infirmary (self-referral to community midwives)

Rosie Hospital Cambridgeshire (information, no self-referral)

Royal Berkshire Hospital Reading

Royal Oldham Hospital (midwife referral via your GP)

Royal Free Hospital London

Royal London Hospital - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Royal Preston Hospital Lancashire

Royal Surrey County Hospital Guildford

Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton

Saint Mary's Hospital Manchester (self-referral to your midwife or via your GP)

Southend Maternity Services Essex

St George's Hospital London

St Helier Hospital Sutton

St Mary's Hospital Manchester

St Mary's Hospital Paddington

St Michael's Hospital Braintree, Essex

St Michael's Hospital Bristol, Avon

St Peter's Hospital Surrey

St Peter's Hospital Maldon, Essex

University College London Hospital

Warrington Hospital Cheshire (Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Watford General Hospital London

West Hertfordshire Hospitals - advice about how to decide what place of birth you want and self-referral

West Suffolk Hospital

Wexham Park Hospital Surrey

Whipps Cross Hospital London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Whittington Hospital London

William Harvey Hospital East Kent

Worcestershire (Alexandra Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre, Worcestershire Royal)

Wythenshawe Hospital Manchester (direct to midwife service)

Yeovil District Hospital Somerset

Self-referral for antenatal care is not available on the Isle of Man. Please contact your GP to arrange referral.

Fife

Forth Valley

Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Highland

Lothian

Orkney

Tayside

Western Isles

While every effort is made to keep these details up to date, the company cannot be held responsible for links to NHS services. If you have any queries, please contact your GP.