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Your health during pregnancy

Immunisation helps to protect you and your baby from infectious diseases.

Vaccinations available in the Jessop Wing Antenatal Clinic Level 1, Monday to Friday.

No appointment needed.

Please feel free to discuss any questions you may have with a member of our vaccination team.

Visit Tommy’s pregnancy hub which has more information www.tommys.org

Please note: the vaccination clinic is open between 9am and 5pm

Exercise

The more active and fit you are, the easier it will be for you to cope comfortably with your changing shape and weight during pregnancy, the demands of labour and looking after a newborn baby. Regular walking, swimming and yoga are particularly good. It is not a good idea to start doing vigorous exercise if your body is not already used to it. Please ask your midwife for further advice.

Diet

Eat a varied and healthy diet throughout your pregnancy. Iron tablets are not given as a matter of routine, but only when necessary based on the results of your blood tests.

Foods to avoid

The following foods may contain elements which could be harmful to your unborn child and you are advised to avoid them:

  • Soft/blue cheeses
  • Unpasteurised milk products
  • Raw meats, pâtés, liver, raw/soft eggs
  • Shellfish, swordfish, marlin, shark (mercury content)
  • More than 2 portions of tuna a week
  • Peanuts and peanut products

Emotional and mental health

Your midwife will discuss your mental health history with you at the booking appointment and assess your wellbeing throughout your pregnancy. If you have a history of mental ill health, you will be cared for by a consultant and specialist multi-disciplinary team.

Our health psychology team support women and couples who are experiencing emotional difficulties related to pregnancy, childbirth or pregnancy loss, or related to a gynaecological condition.  You can self-refer to their service or your midwife may suggest a referral to support your emotional wellbeing during your pregnancy and after birth.

Toxoplasmosis

This is an infection which is not usually dangerous to healthy adults and children but could harm an unborn baby. We do not routinely test for this infection but would advise the following precautions:

  • If you do not have to pick up or handle cats, then don’t
  • Cat owners, in particular, should take extra care since the infection can be caught from cat faeces—you should, for example, wear rubber gloves when changing cat litter
  • Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing any food
  • Ensure raw meats are stored separately at the bottom of your fridge and only eat meat which has been cooked thoroughly
  • Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove all traces of soil

Smoking

Smoking during pregnancy has huge risks for the health and development of your baby.  Quitting smoking during pregnancy is the single most important thing you can do to protect your baby’s health.

All women receive carbon monoxide monitoring as routine practice at every antenatal appointment.  If you are identified as a smoker, you will be referred onto a high-risk pathway of care where you will be cared for by a specialist midwife and reviewed by a consultant.

We can help you to quit smoking at any point in pregnancy, but the earlier you try, the lower the risk of complications to your baby.  Your midwife will refer you to specialist stop smoking services who will support you to quit.

If you need help to stop smoking you can telephone the NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline on 0800 1699 169 for support and advice. You can also talk to your midwife or doctor. Our Trust has a no smoking policy which means you cannot smoke anywhere on hospital premises.

Alcohol and illegal drugs

The Chief Medical Officers for the UK recommend that if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum.

Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk.

Using illegal or street drugs during pregnancy, including cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin, can also have a potentially serious effect on your unborn baby.

If you regularly use drugs, it’s important to tackle this now you’re pregnant. It’s best not to stop abruptly without first seeking medical advice as there may be withdrawal problems or other side effects.

Sex in pregnancy

There is no physical reason why you should not continue to have sexual intercourse throughout a normal pregnancy. Your midwife is happy to discuss this subject and help with any concerns you may have.

Medication

Generally women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are advised not to take medication that can be brought from a shop without first consulting with their midwife or a pharmacist. All prescribed medication will be provided by a doctor, such as your GP or obstetrician, after confirming it is safe to take. Please make sure you tell your dentist that you are pregnant or breastfeeding before treatment.

For more details on all of these subjects please see The Pregnancy Book given at your booking appointments.

Increased BMI

Your midwife will calculate your BMI at your booking appointment and advise you accordingly.  Patients with a BMI over 30 receive care may also receive an assessment from an anaesthetist.

Having a BMI of over 30 can increase the risk of pregnancy and birth complications and could have an affect on your unborn baby.

There are lots of services which can help you be physically active and eat well during your pregnancy and develop healthier habits for life.  Your midwife can refer you to these services at your booking appointment or any stage in pregnancy.

We work closely with our colleagues in Physiotherapy and Health Psychology to support women with a high BMI, a referral into these services may be discussed with you.