Pre-Conception Counselling

The Royal London Hospital offers pre-pregnancy counselling for people with medical conditions who are planning a pregnancy in North-East London. We can offer advice on medication in pregnancy and formulate an individualised management plan for care in pregnancy as well as during labour and delivery.  

This service is available for all women and birthing people with medical conditions who are planning pregnancy or considering fertility treatment. We can also provide counselling for those with a previous complicated pregnancy due to a medical condition who may wish to discuss preparation for a future pregnancy. For those who do not wish to conceive, advice on safe and effective contraception can be provided.  

Medical conditions

We have specialist clinics and services for many medical conditions. We can either see you directly within our team or refer you to a specialist consultant. They will assess your medical needs and plan how frequently to see you in pregnancy and beyond. Those conditions include but are not limited to: 
 

  • Kidney disease  

  • High blood pressure and pre-eclampsia 

  • Heart disease  

  • Liver disease 

  • Neurological diseases, such as epilepsy  

  • Thyroid disorders  

  • Lung disease 

  • Bowel disease including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis  

  • Blood conditions including sickle cell disease and clotting conditions  

  • Joint disease  

  • Severe skin conditions 

If you have diabetes and would like pre-conception counselling, please speak to your diabetes team for a referral to this department-specific service. 

 
What we can offer: 

  • An appointment with a dedicated specialist(s) 

  • Discussion of the risks and benefits of pregnancy for those with a medical condition 

  • Up-to-date and evidence-based advice 

  • Recommendations for necessary medications in pregnancy, considering safety for a developing baby 

  • Advice regarding optimisation of medical conditions prior to pregnancy 

  • Any tests or investigations needed to help risk counselling and to plan care in pregnancy.  

Why choose us

Our Team 

  • Mr Rehan Khan – Consultant obstetrician and obstetric lead for maternal medicine services at The Royal London Hospital.  

  • Dr Kate Wiles – Consultant Obstetric Physician: a specialist in pregnancy with underlying medical conditions, working across North-East London 

  • Dr Kirun Gunganah – Consultant Obstetric Physician: a specialist in pregnancy with underlying medical conditions at Newham University Hospital  

Our team is also made up of multiple consultants from varying specialities who attend our clinics to provide expert advice on care and monitoring in pregnancy.   

 
Why chose us? 

The obstetric and medical teams at The Royal London Hospital are experts in planning pregnancy for those with complex medical conditions, enabling you to have the safest possible pregnancy for yourself and your baby. 

Should you require support from our specialist team during pregnancy, our staff are available 24 hours a day alongside medical staff from other wards.  

Contact us

Our Contact details: 

Not all conditions require pre-pregnancy counselling. Many conditions do not affect the health of pregnant persons or their babies, and many medications are safe to continue during pregnancy. An example of this is well-controlled asthma on inhalers. If you would like a referral to pre-conception counselling, or if you are not sure whether pre-pregnancy counselling would benefit you, please talk to your GP or email us on:  

 
bartshealth.preconceptioncounselling@nhs.net