Whipps Cross antenatal care

Our community midwifery teams provide care across Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

We use the continuity of carer model with the aim of ensuring that you receive dedicated support throughout your pregnancy, and after your birth, from the same team.

Emerald team  

The emerald team midwives are based at Whipps Cross Community Hub and antenatal and postnatal clinics are held at:

• Chingford Health Centre, 109 York Road E4 8LA
• Silverthorn Centre, 2 Friars Close E4 6UN
• Handsworth Medical Practice, Handsworth Avenue
• Orchards Children’s Centre, Liston Way IG8 7BL
• South Woodford Health Centre, 114 High Road E18 2QS
• Hainault Health Centre, Manford Way Chigwell IG7 4DF

The team covers E4, E18, IG8 and part of IG7.

Diamond team 

The diamond team midwives are based at the Whipps Cross maternity hub and antenatal and postnatal clinics are held at:

• Wood Street Health Centre, 6 Linford Road E17 3LA
• Leyton Green Clinic, Leyton Green Road, E10 6BL
• Cyberlink Clinic, 51 Beaumont Road, E10 5DE
• Allum Medical Practice, Fairlop Road, E11 1BN
• Wanstead Place Clinic, 35 Wanstead Place, E11 2SW

The team covers parts of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, E10 and E11.

Homebirth team

The homebirth team provide continuity of carer support from your booking appointment, right through to after your birth. These appointments are carried out in your own home for your convenience.

Hospital midwifery team 

If you have additional risk factors such as multiple pregnancies, you will be offered appointments to see the hospital midwives in the antenatal clinic.

Opal team 

The opal team midwives are based at Whipps Cross Community Hub and antenatal and postnatal clinics are held at:

• Cranbrook Children’s Centre, The Drive Ilford, IG1 3PS
• Aldersbrook Children’s Centre, Ingatestone Road, Wanstead, E12 5HE
• Redbridge Children’s Centre, College Gardens, IG4 5HW
• Hainault Health Centre, Manford Way, Ilford, Chigwell, IG7 4DF

The opal team covers parts of Redbridge (IG1, IG2, IG4, IG5 and IG6).

Topaz team

The topaz team midwives are based at Whipps Cross Community Hub and antenatal and postnatal clinics are held at:

• Forest Road Medical Centre, 354-358 Forest Road, E17 5JL
• St James Health Centre, 47 St James Street, E17 7NH
• Comely Bank Health Centre, 46 Ravenswood Road, E17 9LY
• Wood Street Health Centre, 6 Linford Road, E17 3LA

The team covers parts of Waltham Forest (E17). Each community midwifery team provides cover for the homebirth service.

Ruby specialist team 

The ruby specialist team midwives are based in the antenatal clinic at Whipps Cross Hospital. The team cares for pregnant women and people with complex factors and aims to empower and support them throughout their pregnancy into parenthood. They liaise with other multi-agency professionals to ensure that families are supported and have positive outcomes. 

Our screening team is responsible for running the six antenatal and newborn screening programmes.

The team is based in the antenatal clinic.

Contact us

Phone us: 020 8535 6530, Monday-Friday

Email us

We provide screening tests during pregnancy and beyond

• Routine blood tests at your first appointment which includes checking your glucose level, blood group and iron levels. All pregnant women are offered testing for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis.
• Blood testing and ultrasound scanning for Down's, Edwards' and Patau's syndromes.
• A detailed ultrasound scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy.
• A top-to-toe new-born physical examination offered to your baby within 72 hours of birth.
• Newborn hearing screening.
• Newborn blood spot (sometimes called "the heel prick test") at around five days after birth.

Screening timeline

To give you more information about screening tests for you and your baby, Public Health England have produced a booklet explaining the screening tests in detail.

The screening timeline explains which screening tests will be offered during your pregnancy and after your baby is born.

Sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCT) service

Since 1 February 2023, our hospital’s Antenatal and Newborn screening team offers a sickle cell and thalassaemia (SCT) service for pregnant women, people and their families who are receiving antenatal care at Whipps Cross. 

Day to day, the screening team offers the opportunity for all pregnant women and people to find out if they are a carrier of the sickle cell or thalassaemia gene and the likelihood of passing it on to their baby. Women or couples who carry the gene are offered specialist counselling and care.

Obstetric ultrasound scans

Our obstetric ultrasound scanning unit is located in the antenatal clinic. There are five dedicated scan rooms and our team is made up of seven sonographers including midwife sonographers.

Scan appointments are offered Monday to Saturday at Whipps Cross Hospital. You may be offered additional scans for uterine artery doppler screening, scans to check your baby is growing well, and scans to recheck where your placenta is.

At your routine scan appointment, we can arrange for a photo to be printed.

Fetal medicine unit (FMU)

Our fetal medicine unit team is made up of four consultants and a specialist midwife. We offer individualised care to you and your family when there is a concern about the health of your unborn baby.

The FMU diagnoses and manages:

• Chromosomal abnormalities
• Genetic conditions
• Structural fetal defects
• Fetal conditions that require surgical follow-up after birth
• Suspected fetal growth restriction or small for gestational age fetus
• Multiple pregnancy (twins and higher order)
• Pregnancies affected by red cell antibody incompatibility
• Diagnoses of chromosomal and genetic syndromes by invasive testing (amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling) 

The FMU clinics take place in our scanning unit which is in the antenatal clinic, with clinics every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Thursday afternoons.

Further support

Down’s Syndrome Association

Twins Trust

We offer a host of online and in-person antenatal classes and workshops, including specific support groups for Black, Asian and minority ethnic families.

Events are run by our expert teams and range from support for breastfeeding, to open days and our popular birth and beyond course for expectant mothers and partners.

Check dates and book your place

Please read all the details in the event descriptions, choose your preferred option and book only ONE ticket for ONE course, even if joining in with your partner.

Our courses are very popular so if you can no longer attend a session please cancel your ticket to ensure a space is available for all families. New dates are added regularly for future courses.

Email us for more information

Your birth

• Choice and consent during pregnancy and childbirth[pdf] 724KB
• Pain relief in labour: how do the options compare[pdf] 779KB
• Having an inpatient induction of labour[pdf] 1010KB
• Having an outpatient induction of labour[pdf] 1008KB
• Find out what delayed (or opitmal) cord clamping (DCC) is and how it can benefit you child

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

• NHS Start for Life - Pregnancy
• Tommy's 'Feeling your baby move is a sign that they are well'
• Find out the benefits of antenatal colostrum harvesting
• Screening tests for you and your baby
• Pregnancy information videos (also available in Polish, Romanian, Gujarati, Albanian, Bengali, Somali, Urdu)
• Advice for partners during pregnancy

Your baby

• NHS Start for Life - Baby
• HENRY early infant feeding support - for Waltham Forest residents
• This leaflet will provide you with important information about feeding your baby
• This Baby Buddy app is a free go-to pregnancy and parenting app developed by the UK charity Best Beginnings.

Safe sleep and baby carriers

• Caring for your baby at night and when sleeping
• How to reduce the risk of SIDS for your baby  
• Wearing a baby sling or carrier

Other support resources

• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Supporting you and your family during a bereavement