What is antenatal care?

Having a baby is a life-changing event that is different for everyone. It is important to get the right care for you and your baby. That means arranging referral to an antenatal clinic as soon as possible after you discover you're pregnant.

Our leaflet called Planificación para Quedar Embarazada also explains all the steps you should take before you get pregnant and in early pregnancy. And our pregnancy hub has a host of information on every aspect of your pregnancy.

My baby, my choice

There are several options for where you give birth to your baby. Incluyen:

• Home birth.

• Freestanding birth centre (not directly attached to a hospital, one-to-one care from midwives and maternity support workers).

• Attached birth centre (a 'home from home' birth centre in a hospital, close to the main obstetric unit).

• Hospital labour ward or delivery suite.

The NHS is committed to providing choice to pregnant women. But do remember that not all these options are suitable for everyone, and not all are available in all areas. In particular, it would be very unwise to attempt a home delivery or deliver at a freestanding birth centre if your pregnancy is complicated in any way, because any transfer which needs to involve a journey by road will take a long time. Your midwife or GP will be able to discuss options for care during your pregnancy and delivery, including giving birth at home or in a midwife-led birth centre.

Your GP practice can give you details of your local midwifery service and how to contact them directly.

How to register for antenatal care on the NHS

Your GP can refer you to a hospital or a midwife-led team for antenatal care and delivery. But many NHS hospitals, and some midwife teams, also offer the option of self-referral. If you know which hospital or trust you want to have your baby in, and you live in their catchment area, you can refer yourself using one of the links below. This may be via an online form or a phone contact with your local midwives.

If you're not sure which trust or hospital you're allowed to book into for antenatal care, your GP practice will be able to let you know. Please note that not all hospitals allow self-referral. Otherwise, contact your GP.

Please be aware that self-referral is not available in every part of the UK. If you can't find the hospital you're looking for below, or if any of the links are not working. you can do a web search for 'antenatal self-referral' followed by the name of the hospital you're looking for. Otherwise, please search the NHS website or contact your GP.

Hospital General de Airedale West Yorkshire

Hospital de Ashford Surrey

Barking Community Birth Centre London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Barnet Hospital Londres

Hospital Universitario de Basildon Essex

Hospital de Bedford Bedfordshire

Bolton NHS Foundation trust (information on community midwifery service, Princess Anne Maternity Unit, Royal Bolton Hospital)

Broomfield Hospital Chelmsford, Essex

Fideicomiso de Atención Médica del NHS de Buckinghamshire

Buckland Hospital East Kent

Hospital Chelsea y Westminster Londres

Hospital de Chorley y South Ribble Lancashire

Colchester Hospital Essex

Hospital Conquest East Sussex

Croydon Health Services (Croydon University Trust)

Hospital Darent Valley Kent

Doncaster Women's Hospital Yorkshire

Eastbourne District General Hospital East Sussex

East Kent Hospitals Maternity services are provided across East Kent in the community and in four different hospital settings; Buckland Hospital (Dover), Kent and Canterbury Hospital, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital (Margate) and the William Harvey Hospital (Ashford)

East Lancashire (details of delivery options - referral via GP or local Children's centre)

Epsom Hospital Surrey

Hospital Frimley Park Surrey

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital Londres

Harrogate and District Yorkshire

Hillingdon Hospital Londres

Hospital HinchingbrookeCambridgeshire

Horton Midwifery Unit Banbury (information - no self-referral)

Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals

Jersey (no routine self-referral available - contact your GP)

Hospital King George, Goodmayes, Essex (Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals)

King's College Hospital Londres

Kingston HospitalSurrey

Lewisham University Hospital Londres

Lister Hospital Hertfordshire

Liverpool Women's Hospital Merseyside

London North West University Healthcare

Macclesfield Maternity Unit Cheshire

Medway CCG Kent

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

Newham Hospital London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Hospital Universitario de Norfolk y Norwich

North Bristol NHS Trust (birthplace options y autorreferencia)

Hospital del Distrito de North Devon Devon

Hospital Universitario North Middlesex Londres

Hospital Northwick Park Londres

Oxfordshire Community Midwives (information - no self-referral)

Peterborough City Hospital Cambridgeshire

Hospital Poole Dorset

Princess Royal Hospital Surrey

Hospital Universitario Princesa Real Londres

Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital Londres

Hospital Queen Elizabeth London SE18

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital East Kent

Queen's Hospital Romford (Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals)

Rochdale infirmary (self-referral to community midwives)

Rosie Hospital Cambridgeshire (information, no self-referral)

Royal Berkshire Hospital Reading

Royal Oldham Hospital (midwife referral via your GP)

Royal Free Hospital Londres

Royal London Hospital - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Hospital Royal Preston Lancashire

Royal Surrey County Hospital Guildford

Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton

Saint Mary's Hospital Manchester (self-referral to your midwife or via your GP)

Southend Maternity Services Essex

St George's Hospital Londres

St Helier Hospital Sutton

St Mary's Hospital Manchester

St Mary's Hospital Paddington

St Michael's Hospital Braintree, Essex

St Michael's Hospital Bristol, Avon

St Peter's Hospital Surrey

St Peter's Hospital Maldon, Essex

University College London Hospital

Hospital de Warrington Cheshire (Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Hospital General de Watford Londres

West Hertfordshire Hospitals - advice about how to decide what place of birth you want and autorreferencia

Hospital West Suffolk

Wexham Park Hospital Surrey

Whipps Cross Hospital London - click on 'your appointments' for details of self-referral

Whittington Hospital Londres

William Harvey Hospital East Kent

Worcestershire (Alexandra Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Treatment Centre, Worcestershire Royal)

Hospital Wythenshawe Manchester (direct to midwife service)

Yeovil District Hospital Somerset

Self-referral for antenatal care is not available on the Isle of Man. Please contact your GP to arrange referral.

Fife

Forth Valley

Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Highland

Lothian

Orkney

Tayside

Western Isles

While every effort is made to keep these details up to date, the company cannot be held responsible for links to NHS services. If you have any queries, please contact your GP.