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Your booking appointment (booking visit)

Your first main appointment is your booking appointment (booking visit) with your midwife. It normally takes place between 8 and 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Pregnant? Get the best start by seeing your midwife

If you’ve just found out that you’re pregnant, get the best start for you and your baby by making an appointment with a midwife.

Midwife appointments

Make an appointment with your midwife as soon as you know you’re pregnant.

Finding a midwife to help you through your pregnancy’s easy. In most Health Board areas you can make your first midwife appointment by asking your GP receptionist. In some areas you can call the midwifery service direct.

Health BoardTo make your first midwife appointment:
FifeVisit NHS Fife maternity services page
Forth Valley01324 567 146
Greater Glasgow and ClydeVisit the NHS GGC maternity self-referral service
Lothian0131 536 2009
Orkney01856 888 238
Shetland01595 743 012

Tests you’ll be offered

At your booking appointment, you’ll:

  • have your weight and height measured
  • have your blood pressure measured – this will be done again at every midwife appointment to check for pregnancy-induced hypertension or pre-eclampsia
  • be asked to give a urine sample

You’ll probably have your first scan arranged too.

What you’ll be asked

Your midwife will ask you about:

  • you and your family’s health
  • your relationship with your baby’s father or your partner to see whether you or they may need support
  • your mental health and how you’re feeling – including if you’ve had mental health difficulties before or if you’re being treated for any now
  • whether you drink alcohol and if so how much – if you’ve been drinking during pregnancy speak honestly to your midwife or GP

Your midwife will tell you about screening tests and vaccines available during pregnancy, and will support you to make choices.

Your midwife will also ask about your income and if you would like support to access maternity benefits or welfare advice services.

Give as much information as you can, as it means you’ll get the care that’s best for you and your baby.

Female genital mutilation

During your booking appointment you’ll be asked a question about female genital mutilation (FGM).

It’s important to know if this practice has happened to you. This enables health professionals to plan and provide your care.

FGM Aware has more information about how FGM is being tackled in Scotland.

What you’ll be told

Your midwife will tell you about:

  • the antenatal care in your area
  • local services to help you stop smoking, cut down or stop drinking or support you around drug taking – they can also arrange these if needed

They’ll also talk to you about your choices for where to give birth

What you’ll be given

Your midwife will give you information about:

Emotional support

Your midwife will ask you questions about your own experiences of growing up. Being pregnant may remind you of difficult emotions from your past. For example, if you ever experienced:

  • violence at home
  • abuse of any kind
  • feeling unsafe or neglected

Be as honest as you can. Understanding your experiences will help your midwife to:

  • look after your emotional and physical health
  • make sure you and your baby have the best possible care

Can I bring someone with me?

It’s fine for your partner or a friend to come with you. Remember you’re likely to be talking about some confidential and private things.

It’s up to you whether you’d feel more comfortable discussing these things in confidence with just your midwife, or if you’d prefer to have someone else that you trust there as well.

If you need an interpreter

If you need an interpreter, make sure you or your partner tell your midwife before the appointment.

Further information, other languages and alternative formats

Translations and alternative formats of this information are available from Public Health Scotland.

If you need a different language or format, please contact phs.otherformats@phs.scot.

Last updated:
16 January 2024