What type of care will I need in pregnancy
Midwife led care
In most cases, antenatal care is provided by our midwives. This is known as midwife-led care. If you do not have any health problems or problems in previous pregnancies then midwife based care is the ideal option. This allows you the convenience of having your antenatal care locally with your community midwife and General Practitioner (GP). In this instance, the only routine hospital visits are when you attend ultrasound scan appointments or blood tests.
If any problems arise during your pregnancy your community midwife or GP will refer you to a Consultant clinic and if necessary your care will then be provided by the maternity team.
Of the 330 women who book for maternity care in East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust each month, over half receive midwifery led care.
Maternity team care
If there are any pre-pregnancy complications, or complications arise during your pregnancy, care will be shared between our midwives, anaesthetists and obstetricians. This is known as maternity team care.
If you require care from the maternity team, you will be sent an appointment with a named consultant team. If you have had a baby before at the hospital we try where possible to match you with the same consultant. However depending on your individual needs it is sometimes more appropriate for some women to be cared for by a specialised team.
Consultant Obstetricians work with our hospital midwives and Maternity Support workers to provide antenatal care in the hospital setting.
Your care may take place in the community or at the hospital (or a combination); this will depend on your pregnancy and also on your choice.