Antenatal Appointment Questions

Written by Cynthia Obinatu, community and editorial lead. Checked against published guidance from the National Health Service. Not yet reviewed by a clinician. Educational, not medical advice.

How these antenatal appointment questions work

The list starts with seven questions that fit most visits. Tick the ones you want to ask. Type your own question into the box and press Add to put it on the list. Reset clears it, and Print or save as PDF gives you a copy to hold at the clinic. Your ticks and your own questions save on this device and nothing is sent to us. Write the answers on the printout, or ask the midwife to write the date of your next visit on it.

What your ticked questions mean

The list helps you ask. It never reads a result and it cannot say whether anything about your pregnancy is normal. Only your midwife or doctor can do that. The National Health Service (NHS) says you can ask questions and raise concerns at any appointment, and that you can contact maternity services at any time if you are worried, without waiting for the next visit. The doctor box on this page says the same about bleeding and your baby's movements. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit straight away if your baby is moving less than usual, if you cannot feel movement, or if the usual pattern has changed, and not to wait until the next day. It says you should start to feel movements between 16 and 24 weeks, and that you do not need to count kicks. If you have not felt anything by 24 weeks, contact your midwife.

How many weeks pregnant should you get a scan?

The NHS describes three early points in a typical UK schedule. The booking appointment is at 8 to 12 weeks. A dating scan comes at about 11 to 14 weeks, and it checks when your baby is due, how the baby is developing and whether you are expecting more than one. A second scan at 18 to 21 weeks checks the baby's development. A woman expecting her first baby in the UK is offered at least 10 appointments and 2 scans. Your clinic's schedule may differ, so ask on the first visit when each scan is planned and what it is for. Use the due date calculator or the week by week tracker to see which week you are in.

How much does a pregnancy scan cost in Nigeria?

We do not publish a price, because we have not found a verified Nigerian price list. The third question on the list asks what the scan or test is for, what it costs and when you will get the result. Ask before you book, and ask whether the price includes the report and a printout. If a clinic quotes a lot more than another for the same scan, it is fine to ask why.

What should I ask at a first antenatal visit?

The NHS says the booking appointment usually takes about an hour. The midwife asks about your health, past pregnancies, mental health, work, home life and habits such as alcohol and smoking, checks your blood pressure, tests your urine and offers a blood group test. In NHS care you are given maternity notes and asked to keep them with you until you give birth, so ask your clinic what records it gives you. Good questions for that visit include how to reach someone out of hours, what to do about malaria prevention, which tests and scans are planned and when, and what is covered by the fee. Ask your clinic whether your partner can come along.

Can I bring my own questions about how I feel?

Yes, and the list expects it. The second question is there so you can name a symptom and ask whether it is normal. Write the symptom, when it started and how often it happens, because that helps the midwife more than a general complaint. Our guide to pregnancy trimester by trimester lists common changes for each stage.

Common questions

Where this comes from

• Your antenatal care and appointments. National Health Service.
• Your baby's movements in pregnancy. National Health Service.
• Pregnancy due date calculator. National Health Service.

This page has not yet been reviewed by a clinician. It stands on the published guidance above, and we say so plainly rather than implying a review that has not happened. Read it alongside our medical policy.