During your pregnancy you’ll be offered a range of screening tests, many of which are performed during your first booking appointment, ideally by 10 weeks of pregnancy. These tests are designed to:

• Help make your pregnancy safer
• Check and assess the development and wellbeing of you and your baby
• Screen for particular conditions

Screening in pregnancy is offered for a range of conditions including:

• Sickle cell and thalassaemia
• Syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV
• Down’s, Edward’s and Patau’s Syndrome
• Mid pregnancy ultrasound – physical abnormalities

Screening tests can be carried out in a number of ways including blood tests and ultrasound scans. If you choose to have them, tests are carried out as part of your appointment schedule.

The sonographer will often be quiet and concentrating on the screen while performing your scan, this is due to the complex nature of performing an ultrasound and completing measurements accurately.

Watch this video below for more information on screening tests for you and your baby.

You don’t have to have any of the tests but it’s important to understand the purpose of all tests so that you can make an informed decision about whether to have them. You can discuss the tests with your midwife and ask questions about them at any time.

More information can be found in ‘Screening Tests for You and Your Baby’ which is available to download and is available in 12 different languages (see below). You can also visit NHS.uk for further information about antenatal checks and tests.

• Arabic
• Bengali
• Chinese
• French
• Latvian
• Lithuanian
• Polish
• Romanian
• Somali
• Urdu

Vaccinations in pregnancy

You can help to protect yourself and your baby from Flu and Whooping cough by having vaccinations in pregnancy. Your GP or midwife can give you more information about vaccinations or you can read this leaflet here from Public Health England.

Whooping cough

All women and pregnant people are offered the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine in pregnancy from 16-32 weeks.

Flu

It’s recommended all women and pregnant people have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they’re at. It is free for those who are pregnant.

RSV

All women and pregnant people are offered the RSV vaccine in pregnancy.

Covid-19

Find out more information about the COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy.

Contact the Screening team: 01892 633391

Contact the Ultrasound Department: 

• Tunbridge Wells: 01892 633043
• Maidstone: 01622 224241