Pregnancy

At the start

Home pregnancy tests are accurate and reliable.
If you’re otherwise well you don’t need to see a GP when you become pregnant. To book an appointment with the Midwife between weeks 6 and 10 of your pregnancy please follow this link for the self-referral form Maternity Self-Referral Form (microsoft.com)
Take a pregnancy multivitamin including folic acid from as soon as you find you are pregnant, or even before, to help you and your baby develop normally. Women with diabetes or with a BMI greater than 30 need a prescribed high-strength folic acid tablet.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.
Avoid food which might give you food poisoning, like unpasteurised dairy products, blue or soft cheese, raw egg (don’t forget homemade mayonnaise and mousse), raw meat, pate, shellfish except well-cooked prawns, and unwashed salad.

Vomiting is common until week 16 to 20, but if is very severe can lead to dehydration. Call your midwife or GP immediately if you’re vomiting and are unable to keep food or fluids down for 24 hours, have very dark-coloured or bloody urine or have not had a pee in more than 8 hours, feel severely weak, dizzy or faint when standing up, or have lost weight.
Urine infections and thrush are more common in pregnancy. Contact your GP, and don’t forget to say that you’re pregnant so that you get the best treatment.
If you have bleeding or severe abdominal pain in the first three months you should contact the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit directly on 024 7696 7000, any time of the day.

This is a confidential service. You don’t need to be referred by your GP, just call 0345 730 4030.

Rape, sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse support for survivors, their families and friends is available from RoSA. Call 01788 551151.

Domestic violence victim support, Advocacy and safe accommodation is available from Refuge Warwickshire, 24 hours a day. Call 0800 4081552.