Antenatal appointments: why they’re important

Antenatal appointments are appointments you have during pregnancy.

Going to your antenatal appointments right from the start means that your midwife or doctor can check how you and your baby are going.

Your midwife or doctor can follow your baby’s growth and monitor you both for any health problems or risks that might develop, including risks to your physical and emotional health. If there’s a problem, it can be picked up and treated early.

At antenatal appointments, you can talk about any concerns or ask questions – for example, about pregnancy, labour, birth and early parenting. And you can get health and lifestyle support – for example, help to gain weight safely or quit smoking.

Antenatal appointments are a chance to look at information about your health and pregnancy with your midwife or doctor and make decisions about your pregnancy care. This might include decisions about screening tests and the place you want to give birth.

Some of these appointments and tests need to happen at certain times in pregnancy.

If you think you might be pregnant or you’ve just found out you’re pregnant, see your GP to start your pregnancy care. Your GP will recommend routine tests, check your health, refer you to a midwife or obstetrician, and help you make a booking for a place of birth.

Who you’ll see at antenatal appointments and where you’ll see them

If you’re planning to give birth at a public hospital, your appointments will probably be with a midwife or doctor at the hospital or at a clinic in the community.

If you’re in shared care, some of your appointments will be with your GP. Some will be with a midwife or hospital doctor.

If you’re planning to give birth at a birth centre, your appointments will probably be with a midwife at the birth centre.

If you’re planning to give birth at a private hospital, your appointments will probably be with your obstetrician at the obstetrician’s consulting rooms. Many private obstetricians employ a midwife in their rooms, and you’ll see the midwife during your pregnancy too.

If you’re planning a homebirth, your appointments will be with a midwife in your home, at a hospital or in the community.

What will happen at antenatal appointments

Depending on how many weeks pregnant you are, your midwife or doctor might check or talk about your:

• stage of pregnancy and work out when your baby is due
• general health and medical history, including previous pregnancies and births
• emotions, mood and mental health, and screen you for anxiety and depression
• medicines, including prescription, herbal and over-the-counter medicines
• blood pressure
• urine
• weight and healthy weight gain.

Your midwife or doctor might also:

• listen to your baby’s heartbeat
• check your baby’s growth by feeling and measuring your tummy
• recommend blood tests, screening tests and other tests and talk about test results
• talk about healthy eating and foods that aren’t recommended in pregnancy
• ask about your lifestyle and help you get support for lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or giving up alcohol or other drugs
• ask about your work and home environment and your family situation and support
• recommend antenatal classes where you can learn about labour, birth and early parenting.

Further into your pregnancy, your midwife or doctor might also talk to you about:

• your baby’s movements and position
• labour and birth – for example, labour signs and stages
• your options and preferences for labour and giving birth – for example, your options for pain relief in labour
• practical preparations for labour and birth, including packing a hospital bag
• signs of complications or problems – for example, premature birth
• your plans for taking your baby home (if you’re giving birth in a hospital or birth centre)
• your plans for breastfeeding or formula-feeding your baby and give you information about this choice
• follow-up appointments and ongoing health checks after your baby is born.

If your midwife or doctor doesn’t talk about something you want to know, it’s OK for you to ask questions and get information.

And if you think of any questions in between appointments, it helps to write them down. This way you’ll remember to ask your midwife or doctor at your next visit.

If you’re worried about becoming a parent or there are problems in your relationship, including family violence, it’s a good idea for you to talk about this too. In fact, most public hospital antenatal services ask you about family violence during pregnancy. This is so you can get support if you need it.

How many antenatal appointments

Your midwife or doctor will give you a plan of appointments at your first pregnancy visit. This might change as your pregnancy progresses.

If you find out you’re pregnant within the first 6 weeks of pregnancy and you have a uncomplicated pregnancy, you’ll probably have 10-12 appointments with your midwife or doctor during your pregnancy if it’s your first baby.

You might have 7-10 appointments if you’ve had a previous pregnancy with no complications.

Many women have visits every 4-5 weeks until 28 weeks of pregnancy and then visits every 2-3 weeks until 36 weeks of pregnancy. After this, you’ll probably have weekly or fortnightly visits until birth.

The number and timing of pregnancy appointments could be more or less than this, depending on your health and your baby’s health. For example, if you have a complex pregnancy, you might have more pregnancy appointments. Your midwife or doctor will talk with you about the appointments you need and why.

Some women experience high levels of worry or stress during pregnancy. Seeing your midwife or doctor more frequently can help with managing stress or other concerns during pregnancy. You can ask your midwife or doctor about whether more pregnancy appointments might be good for you.

Taking a support person to your pregnancy appointments

If possible, it’s a good idea to ask your partner, a friend or a family member to go with you to pregnancy appointments.

Your support person can help you remember information, share the experience with you and provide comfort and encouragement.

Your partner or support person might be asked to leave the room for a short time during some of your pregnancy appointments. This is so your health professional can talk one on one with you about how things are going at home.

Some services offer appointments in the evenings or weekends. This might make it easier for you and your support person to go to appointments together. You can ask your health professional if these hours are available.

It’s also OK to go to appointments on your own.

Using interpreters and multicultural health workers during antenatal appointments

If you’re not confident speaking English, you can ask for an interpreter to join you in your pregnancy appointments. If one isn’t available in person, you can ask about having a phone interpreter.

It’s best to use a qualified interpreter if you can. Qualified interpreters are trained to help you understand what’s being said and to make sure you get accurate information.

The Department of Home Affairs offers a Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) – phone 1800 131 450. This service is available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

You can also ask your midwife or doctor about translation and interpreting services in your hospital or community. For example, there might be a multicultural health worker who can help you book or check appointments, fill out forms, and get transport to your appointments.

Languages other than English

• Arabic (PDF: 200kb)
• Dari (PDF: 165kb)
• Dinka (PDF: 116kb)
• Hakha Chin (PDF: 116kb)
• Karen (PDF: 170kb)
• Persian (PDF: 182kb)
• Simplified Chinese (PDF: 640kb)
• Swahili (PDF: 116kb)
• Tamil (PDF: 139kb)
• Vietnamese (PDF: 202kb)