Newham antenatal care

pregnant woman with baby bump

Choosing our hospital

Newborn baby in arms

Choosing our hospital

We offer personalised care to women and pregnant people

We help to deliver around 5,500 babies a year, making us one of the busiest maternity units in the country.  We are very proud of our service and we are committed to providing high quality maternity care.

We provide care at Newham Hospital and in the community, primarily to women and pregnant people who live in the London boroughs of Newham, Barking, Havering and Redbridge. However, we also welcome women from outside these boroughs to give birth at our hospital.

Ideally you should be seen by a midwife by the time you are 10 weeks pregnant, or as early into your pregnancy as possible.

Everyone you meet during your care should introduce themselves and carry an identification badge. Please do not be afraid to ask for a person’s name or role if you do not know who they are.

Use our online form to refer yourself to our maternity team

Antenatal self referral form Newham hospital [docx] 186KB

Antenatal care and classes

Antenatal care is the care you get from health professionals during your pregnancy. It's sometimes called pregnancy care or maternity care.

Depending on your individual needs, your antenatal care will be based at either a children’s centre or a GP surgery where our community midwives have a clinic, or at an antenatal clinic in our hospital. It will all be provided in line with current NICE guidelines and appointments will be tailored to meet your individual needs.

If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you may be offered an appointment with one of our obstetric consultants who will review and lead your care plan in partnership with your midwife.

If your pregnancy is considered low-risk, your community midwife will provide all aspects of maternity care. If problems arise during your pregnancy your community midwife will refer you to the hospital team, but they will always be on hand for advice and support.

You will also be offered screening tests during your pregnancy to check on your baby’s health and identify if there are any health conditions that could affect you or your baby.

Antenatal classes

As part of your maternity care, we offer a full range of antenatal classes which can help prepare you for birth and looking after your baby. Please speak to your midwife about booking onto these classes.

Classes are available on the following topics:

  • tips on staying healthy during pregnancy
  • learn about your labour and birthing choices
  • discuss any worries and concerns in a safe and secure space
  • meet other parents and those who are expecting

Our specialist clinics

We offer specialist clinics for women who require additional healthcare during pregnancy. Appointments for these clinics are made via your midwife or obstetrician.

Diabetic clinic

Our diabetes clinic is run by a diabetes specialist nurse, consultant obstetrician, dietitian and midwife for diabetes. In these clinics we see women and pregnant people that have been diagnosed with diabetes before their pregnancy, and those who have develop diabetes during their pregnancy.

We run drop-in sessions on Fridays between 11am and 1pm in the postnatal discharge lounge, zone 2. Our team speak English, Bengali, Urdu, Punjabi and Spanish. Call or text 07944 966 141 for more information.

Fetal medicine

This is a specialist clinic run by an obstetric consultant and a midwife. They provide care and advice to women and pregnant people whose pregnancies have been diagnosed with fetal abnormalities or problems.

HIV clinic

Our HIV clinic supports women and pregnant people that have been diagnosed with HIV during their pregnancy, or before. The clinic is run by a specialist midwife, obstetric consultant, HIV consultant and a specialist HIV nurse.

Haemoglobinapthy

This is a multidisciplinary clinic for women and pregnant people whose blood results have identified sickle cell disease or thalassemia. These results are reviewed, a care plan is put together and referrals are made if necessary.

Free healthy start vitamins

Good nutrition and healthy start vitamins in pregnancy and after birth can help mothers maintain their own health and provide the best for their baby.

Vitamins and good nutrition can also help young children to grow up healthy, strong and with a reduced risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life. 

All pregnant women and people, new mothers and children under the age of four can access FREE vitamins, including the recommended amount of Vitamin D.

Find out where to collect your vitamins

 

Additional resources and information

Your birth

Your health

  • Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately. Speak to us if you would like support to stop smoking.
  • Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (glucose) that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.

Your pregnancy

Your baby

Safe sleep and baby carriers

Other support resources