Dr Azeem Majeed, a GP and Daily Express columnist, has outlined what pregnant women can expect from NHS maternity services in 2026. The guide covers the journey from a positive pregnancy test to postnatal care.
First Steps After a Positive Test
Once you have a positive pregnancy test, contact your local NHS maternity service to arrange your first appointment. You can usually refer yourself online without seeing your GP. It is advisable to inform your GP practice so your medical records are updated and any existing conditions or medications are reviewed.
If you are not already taking folic acid, start as soon as possible, up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. Most women are also advised to take vitamin D throughout.
Booking Appointment and Antenatal Care
Your first appointment with a midwife, the booking appointment, typically occurs between eight and 10 weeks. This is a chance to discuss your health, medical history, and any previous pregnancies. The midwife will ask about lifestyle, family history, and medicines, and you will have blood tests, blood pressure checks, and usually a urine sample.
Most women receive care from community midwives. If you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, or if complications arise, your care may involve an obstetrician and other specialists.
Routine antenatal appointments monitor your health and your baby's development. You will usually be offered two routine ultrasounds: the first between 11 and 14 weeks to confirm your delivery date and offer optional screening for conditions like Down syndrome, and the second between 18 and 21 weeks to check development. Additional blood tests or scans may be offered.
Vaccines and Lifestyle
The NHS recommends vaccines against flu, whooping cough (pertussis), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at appropriate stages. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle—eating a balanced diet, staying active, and avoiding smoking and alcohol—is important.
Pregnancy can affect emotional health. Many women experience anxiety, low mood, or stress, especially if they have had pregnancy loss or complications before. Your midwife will ask about this; if you have a history of mental health conditions, inform your maternity team.
When to Seek Urgent Advice
Contact your team immediately if you experience reduced or absent fetal movements, vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid, severe or persistent headache, blurred vision or flashing lights, sudden swelling of face, hands, or feet, severe abdominal pain, or regular contractions before 37 weeks.
Reassurance and Birth Planning
Despite news reports about failures in some NHS maternity services, most pregnancies and births are safe. Investigations have led to changes, including a greater emphasis on listening to women and families, improving safety, and identifying concerns earlier. If you are worried, trust your instincts and contact your maternity team.
You will discuss birth preferences with your midwife. Options may include a consultant-led maternity unit, a midwife-led birth centre, or occasionally a home birth. Women with higher-risk pregnancies are generally advised to give birth in an obstetric unit. You can also discuss pain relief options, including gas and air, opioids, and epidural anaesthesia.
Postnatal Care
After birth, midwives will check your recovery and your baby's health, including a newborn physical examination and hearing screening. Your community midwife will support you for the first 10 to 14 days at home, then care transfers to your health visitor. Attend your postnatal GP check, usually six to eight weeks after birth, to discuss physical recovery, emotional wellbeing, contraception, and any health concerns.
Pregnant women are entitled to free NHS prescriptions and dental treatment during pregnancy and for 12 months after giving birth, with a maternity exemption certificate.
