Early Pregnancy Care

The first 12 weeks of pregnancy can be a worrying time. On the one hand, it can be exciting, thinking and planning for the future. On the other hand, it’s hard to know what to do to keep yourself and your baby safe. GPs no longer routinely see pregnant women, and midwives won’t see you until 12 weeks. Things can be especially nerve-wracking if you’ve had a previous miscarriage. The prevailing thought in healthcare is that there is very little that doctors can do in the first trimester to protect a developing pregnancy.

This is not the case.

We can offer you pregnancy scans from 6-7 weeks, along with medical advice on supplements, medications and blood tests that will give more information and reassurance right from the start.

Ultrasound Scans – we can often see a developing pregnancy at 6 weeks with an internal scan, although waiting an extra week allows us to see much more. I have been doing ultrasound scans since 2008, and have the capability to do transabdominal scans (through the lower tummy) and transvaginal scans (through the front passage, a bit like having a cervical smear). A chaperone is always offered for scans, although you are welcome to bring a friend or a family member.

Beta-HCG testing – not many doctors know that checking the pregnancy blood test a week apart is a fantastic way of providing reassurance in early pregnancy – if it goes up by a factor of 10 after a week (for example, from 200 one week, rising to 2000 the next week), then this is a really encouraging sign of a viable pregnancy.

Unsure about which vitamins you should be taking, what food you should be eating, whether to rest, or be active? Perhaps you are taking medications, and you’re unsure if they’re safe for you baby. Speak to us for professional medical guidance.