Pregnancy referral form

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Did you know you can choose where you go for your maternity services? For information on your pregnancy and birth choices please click here. To register for pregnancy care with one of our community midwife teams, please use the online self-referral form at the bottom of this page.

What should I do first?

To learn more about the screening choices you will be offered during your pregnancy and after your baby is born please click here to download a booklet on antenatal and newborn screening choices. This booklet is available in alternate languages (see the Antenatal and Newborn tab here). The booklet explains the types of tests available and what the tests are looking for. 

Please read this booklet before the first appointment with your midwife as it will help prepare you for discussions so that you can ask the questions that are important to you. You should keep a copy of this booklet with you as it covers all aspects of antenatal and newborn screening choices. 

It is important we book your pregnancy scans at the right gestation  for antenatal screening to be offered. Please complete the pregnancy referral form when you are first aware of your pregnancy. If you have questions about screening tests, contact the screening team on 01284 712567. 

When will my first appointment be?

Your first appointment with your midwife is when you are approximately 7-9 weeks pregnant. However this also depends on when your pregnancy referral form is received, and the availability of booking appointments.

What vitamins should I be taking?

You should be taking Folic Acid (400mcg) and Vitamin D (10mcg) daily. Women with diabetes, epilepsy, coeliac disease and a body mass index of over 30 require a higher (5mg) dose of Folic Acid. You will need to ask your GP to prescribe this.

What substances should I avoid now that I am pregnant?

If you are taking any prescription medication, please check with your GP if it is safe to continue with this now that you are pregnant.

Recreational drugs in pregnancy are not recommended as they may cause serious harm to your baby. Similarly, you should avoid drinking alcohol whilst you are pregnant to avoid harm to your baby.

Smoking is also very harmful to your unborn baby. When you smoke tobacco, the toxic chemicals cross the placenta directly into the baby’s blood stream – so the baby smokes when you do. The sooner you stop smoking the better. Your GP or midwife can arrange referral for smoking cessation support. 

There are also some foods you should avoid eating whilst pregnant. These are:

• Mould-ripened cheeses (such as brie and camembert) and blue-veined cheeses
• Raw or undercooked egg products or any foods which contain them (such as homemade mayonnaise)
• Unpasteurised milk
• All types of pâté (including vegetarian)
• Raw or undercooked meat
• Liver or liver products, or any supplements containing Vitamin A
• Some types of fish: avoid shark, marlin, swordfish and raw shellfish
• Do not eat more than two tuna steaks or four medium tins of tuna per week, and no more than two portions of oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines or trout
• Limit your caffeine during pregnancy to 200mg.

For the full list, please visit the NHS pregnancy and baby guide

Contact details for community midwives

West Suffolk community midwives office hours: Monday - Friday 9.00am - 2.00pm

Telephone: 01284 713755

Email: communitymidwives@wsh.nhs.uk

Please note, we may take up to 2 working days to respond to your enquiry, but should you require urgent advice, please contact the hospital maternity department on 01284 712723.

Referral form

To complete the pregnancy referral form please click here. 

Every effort is made to keep your information secure but please note this data transfer is secure but not encrypted. The data that you have submitted will be deleted from our content management system within 31 days. If you do not wish to continue please contact 01284 713755