The Royal London antenatal care

Black pregnant woman on sofa

Choosing our hospital

Woman with baby on chest

Choosing our hospital

We offer personalised care to women and pregnant people

We are an accredited baby friendly hospital and our services were rated "good" by our regulators.

We offer a wide range of services throughout your pregnancy. You will be supported throughout your pregnancy and treated with dignity and respect.

If you choose to have your baby with us, our expert team of midwives and doctors will work with you to plan a safe and comfortable birth.

Depending on your preferences and your individual pregnancy, you can have your baby at home, in our Lotus Birth Centre, or the delivery suite at The Royal London Hospital.

Use our online form to refer yourself to our maternity team

Antenatal self referral form Royal London hospital [docx] 186KB

Clinics to support you during pregnancy

Antenatal clinic

All expecting parents are offered antenatal care with midwives, obstetricians and specialists tailored to your individual needs. At our antenatal clinics you can also discuss your birthing options.

Clinic hours

Clinics take place in local GP surgeries, family hubs as well as in the hospital. Your midwife will book and confirm the location and schedule of your appointments at your initial appointment. Most clinics take place between 8.40am and 5pm.

Some surgeries in the local area may provide extended opening hours. If you wish to discuss your appointment schedule or alter any appointments, please phone us on: 020 7480 4885.

Booking clinic

Booking clinics take place Monday – Friday between 8.40am – 2.40pm. This may be held at The Royal London or The Barkantine maternity centre. The location of this appointment does not reflect your final birth plan.

This is an important first meeting with the midwife and usually takes between one or two hours. At the booking clinic you will discuss your health, have your blood tests, ultrasound and you’ll be introduced to your midwifery team.

If you wish to have a screening test, consent for this will be gained during this clinic.

Your antenatal appointment schedule is located inside the front cover of your maternity notes. You will be given your maternity notes at the booking appointment which you must bring with you to each appointment.

Screening

You will be offered screening tests during pregnancy to identify any health problems that could affect you or your baby. The tests can help you make informed decisions about your pregnancy, tests or care.

We are here to help you, and your midwife will discuss the screening options with you.

Midwives follow up clinic

This clinic takes place every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9am – 12pm and 1.40pm – 4pm.

It is for women and pregnant people who live out of the borough. You will be seen in this clinic for your follow-up appointments and antenatal care.

Extra support for you

Pregnancy can be a vulnerable time and we recognise that there are some people who may require additional support because of this. This could be due to a number of reasons, for example, being a young parent, mental health difficulties, domestic abuse or other social circumstances. We have a team of specialist midwives who are able to provide enhanced maternity care and support.

We encourage you to let your midwife know if you feel that you would benefit from this type of care. You will then receive the right support at the right time. 

Our specialist clinics

Our Specialist Clinics

Each pregnancy is different. Some pregnancies require more care than others in specialist clinics. The Royal London Hospital offers many different specialist services which are there to support you throughout pregnancy, birth, and postnatally.

Pre-Pregnancy Counselling

We offer pre-pregnancy counselling for people with complex medical conditions who are planning a pregnancy in north-east London. Examples of medical problems which would benefit from pre-pregnancy counselling include previous organ transplants, complex heart disease, lupus, cystic fibrosis, kidney disease, or complex blood pressure problems. We offer advice on medication, how the pregnancy may be impacted by the medical problem, and create an individualised management plan for care in pregnancy, birth, and after the baby is born.

This service is also available for those with complex medical problems who are considering fertility treatment. We can also provide counselling for those with a previous complicated pregnancy due to a medical condition, such as complex high blood pressure problems or severe pre-eclampsia, 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.

If you would like to be referred to this service, please speak to your general practitioner (GP) or hospital specialist. We accept email referrals from healthcare professionals.

There is also a specific service for those planning a pregnancy who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes and are considering a pregnancy, please ask your GP to refer you to this service.

Diabetes in Pregnancy

At the Royal London, we have specialist services to support those who have diabetes in pregnancy. This includes those who have type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes. This clinic is run by a multidisciplinary team, which includes obstetric doctors (pregnancy doctor), diabetes doctors, midwives, and a dietician who supports women to control their blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

Maternity Dietitian

Our maternity dietitian can help plan and manage the diet during pregnancy. This service is available to those who have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, extreme morning sickness (hyperemesis), or those who have had certain surgeries. Your doctor or midwife will advise if you need to be referred for an appointment.

Maternal Medicine

If you have a known medical condition, or a medical problem has been identified for the first time during your pregnancy, you will be seen in a specialist maternal medicine clinic. These are special clinics that are jointly run with a consultant obstetrician, a consultant medical doctor, and a specialist midwife.

These specialist pregnancy services and clinics include cardiology (the heart), liver, kidneys, gastroenterology (the digestive system), haematology (blood), neurology (the brain), and cancer. This is where a plan of treatment and care will be agreed for your pregnancy, birth and postnatal period, aiming to keep you and your baby as healthy and safe as possible.

The Royal London Hospital mostly provides care for those living in Tower Hamlets or the surrounding boroughs; however, some who live in other areas of London may be recommended pregnancy care at our hospital due to the specialist services that are available. This care is coordinated by the Maternal Medicine Network.

Fetal Medicine Unit

In most pregnancies, there will be no complications. However, sometimes you and your unborn baby need extra care.

Our fetal medicine team is a specialised department that offers support through pregnancy and antenatal screening when a congenital or genetic condition might be suspected or diagnosed. The team also provides specialist scans and support for those with complex pregnancies, such as twin or triplet pregnancies.

We can support you by offering the following:

  • Advice and/or counselling to help decision-making.
  • Working closely with our clinical genetics team to ensure that you and your partner receive all the information you require to help make a decision.
  • Helping you through diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, which can be performed to make a genetic diagnosis.
  • Provide other resources of advice and support.
  • Making referrals to other hospitals that specialise in specific conditions for further assessment.

We aim to see urgent cases within 72 hours from the time of referral.

The Royal London Hospital can also care for very premature babies or babies with complex medical needs in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Fetal Echocardiography Clinic

Our combined fetal echocardiography clinic is for those who are pregnant with congenital heart conditions, have a family history of congenital heart conditions, or where the baby is found to have a heart condition. This is a detailed scan of the heart, which can only be performed at specialist centres.

Maternal Fetal Assessment Unit

The Maternal Fetal Assessment Unit (MFAU) is a clinic for pregnant women and birthing people seen by appointment from 18 weeks of pregnancy. You may be seen here if you have a pregnancy concern that needs monitoring, such as high blood pressure. The clinic is run by midwives and is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm on the 8th floor next to the antenatal clinic.

Breech Clinic

If at 35 to 36 weeks into your pregnancy, your baby is not facing with its head down in the pelvis, you will be referred to this specialist breech clinic.

You will see a consultant obstetrician or consultant midwife to discuss options. These options may include trying to turn the baby, called an external cephalic version (ECV), having a vaginal breech birth, or opting for a planned caesarean section. You will be supported throughout whichever decision you make.

Anti-D Clinic

If your blood type is rhesus negative and your baby's other biological parent is rhesus positive, your baby may be rhesus positive. This can cause problems in future pregnancies, as if any of your baby’s blood enters your bloodstream, your immune system can develop antibodies against the rhesus antigens. This is known as sensitisation, and you will need to have blood tests in pregnancy and may need an injection. This injection is called Anti-D, and is very safe for both you and your baby.

The blood test clinic runs every Tuesday from 9.20am to 3.20pm. The Anti-D injection clinic (usually at 28 weeks of pregnancy) runs every Wednesday from 9.20am to 3.20pm.

Virology and Infectious Disease

Screening for certain conditions, such as viral or infectious diseases, is offered during all pregnancies. If you choose to opt for this screening, your results will be available within 10 days of being tested. Whilst most results are normal, The Royal London offers a specialist clinic for those with a previously known or new diagnosis of a blood-borne virus or infectious disease. Those with Hepatitis B or Syphilis may be seen at this clinic.

Additional resources and information

Your birth

Your health

  • Stopping smoking will help both you and your baby immediately. Speak to us if you would like support to stop smoking.
  • Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (glucose) that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.

Your pregnancy

Your baby

Safe sleep and baby carriers

Other support resources