Your booking appointment and first scan: questions answered
What usually happens at your first antenatal appointment and early scan, what to bring, and the questions worth asking your midwife or doctor.
By PreggieLover 4 min read
Somewhere in the first few weeks, after the positive test has sunk in, a new question appears: what happens now? For many women the first real step is the booking appointment, followed by an early scan. Here are the questions mums most often ask, answered simply. Care varies between countries and clinics, so think of this as a general guide and let your own midwife or doctor fill in the details.
When should I contact a midwife or clinic?
As soon as you know you are pregnant. In the UK you can usually refer yourself to your local maternity service or speak to your GP. In Nigeria and many other countries you register for antenatal care at a hospital, clinic or health centre. Booking early matters because some tests and advice are most useful in the first weeks.
What is the booking appointment?
It is usually your longest antenatal appointment, often between weeks 8 and 12. Your midwife or doctor will want to get to know you and your health so they can plan the right care. You can expect:
- Questions about your health, past pregnancies, any losses, your family's medical history and any medicines you take.
- Your blood pressure, height and weight being checked.
- A urine test.
- An offer of blood tests, which commonly check your blood group, iron levels and screen for certain infections, along with other tests depending on where you live.
- Advice about folic acid, vitamin D, food safety and staying active.
- Information about the scans and screening tests on offer, so you can decide what is right for you.
- A chance to talk about how you are feeling, including your mood and anything that worries you.
It is fine to find some of these questions personal or emotional. Your midwife asks them to keep you safe, and you can share as much or as little as you are ready to.
What should I bring?
- Any letters, hospital records or test results you already have.
- A list of medicines and supplements you take. Do not stop any prescribed medicine on your own; ask your doctor first.
- The first day of your last period, if you know it.
- A written list of your questions, because it is easy to forget them in the moment.
- Your husband, partner, mum or a friend, if you would like company.
When is the first scan?
Many clinics offer a first scan, often called a dating scan, somewhere between about 10 and 14 weeks. It checks how many babies there are, estimates how far along you are and gives you a due date. In some places screening for certain conditions may be offered around the same time; you can ask what it involves before deciding. You may be asked to come with a fairly full bladder, so check your appointment letter.
What if I feel nervous about the scan?
That is very common, especially if you have had a loss before. You might find it helps to:
- Tell the sonographer at the start that you are anxious, or that you have lost a baby before.
- Ask them to tell you as soon as they can see the heartbeat.
- Bring someone to hold your hand.
- Plan something gentle for afterwards, whatever the day brings.
Good questions to ask your midwife or doctor
- Who do I call if I have bleeding or pain, day or night?
- Which supplements do you recommend for me?
- Which foods should I avoid?
- Which screening tests are offered here, and what do they involve?
- How often will I be seen, and where?
- Is there anything in my history that means I need extra care?
Seen before anyone else saw
Long before the first scan picture, God already knew this little one. The psalmist wrote:
“For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
The word covered suggests something woven together and sheltered. The sonographer will see your baby for a few minutes on a screen, but your Father has been watching over every cell from the very beginning. In Jeremiah 1:5, God tells the young prophet that He knew him before he was formed. Whatever the scan shows, your child is known, and so are you.
Write your questions down the night before, and then hand the waiting over to God. You do not have to carry every outcome in your own hands.
A prayer before my appointment
Father, thank You that You knew this baby before I did. Calm my nerves as I walk into the clinic, give the people caring for me wisdom and kindness, and help me to listen well and ask what I need to ask. Whatever I hear, keep my heart close to Yours. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
When is the pregnancy booking appointment?
It is often between weeks 8 and 12, but contact a midwife, GP or antenatal clinic as soon as you know you are pregnant so they can book it at the right time.
When is the first pregnancy scan?
Many clinics offer a dating scan between about 10 and 14 weeks to check your baby, see how many babies there are and give you a due date.
What should I take to my booking appointment?
Bring any medical records, a list of medicines and supplements, the date of your last period if you know it, and a written list of questions.
This article is for general information and encouragement, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor or midwife about your own health and your baby's.
