Key takeaways
- Book your first visit as soon as pregnancy is confirmed — ideally before 12 weeks.
- Each visit has a purpose: tests, scans, monitoring and birth planning.
- Never skip a visit because you feel well — antenatal care is preventative.
Antenatal care is one of the highest-impact health services in the world — and yet many mothers miss visits simply because they feel fine. Here's what actually happens at each stage, so every appointment has a clear purpose.
First visit (ideally before 12 weeks)
The booking visit establishes your baseline: medical history, blood pressure, weight, blood tests (including blood group, haemoglobin and HIV/syphilis screening), and your first ultrasound to confirm dates. You'll leave with a personalised plan and your expected delivery date.
Monthly visits through the second trimester
From around 20 weeks, visits focus on monitoring — your blood pressure, the baby's growth and heartbeat, swelling, and any new symptoms. This is when conditions like pre-eclampsia are caught early, when they are most manageable.
- Around 20 weeks: anatomy scan and mid-pregnancy review
- 24–28 weeks: glucose screening for diabetes in pregnancy
- 28–36 weeks: growth checks, tetanus vaccination, birth planning
“Every antenatal visit is a chance to catch small problems before they become big ones.”
Final weeks: preparing for birth
Visits become more frequent as your due date approaches. We finalise your birth plan, confirm the baby's position, discuss danger signs, and make sure you know exactly where to go — day or night — when labour begins. Our maternity unit is staffed 24 hours, so you are never alone at the moment it matters.
To start your antenatal journey, visit any of our branches with a positive test result, or send us a WhatsApp message and we'll guide you through the first step.
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Articles are general guidance — they can't replace a consultation. If something resonated with you, let's talk about it properly.