Pregnancy and Birth

Making an appointment at the doctor's surgery or the hospital

If you think you may be pregnant it is important to go and see your doctor.

If you need communication support, for example a Sign Language Interpreter or Lipspeaker, you must tell the surgery when you make the appointment.

The Government has made a law, which means that disabled people must have the same opportunities at work, and equal access to services, goods, and facilities. The law is called the DDA: The Disability Discrimination Act- http://www.drc-gb.org/the_law.aspx

Your doctor or local hospital must make what is called 'reasonable adjustments' to make sure that you can have the same access to health services as hearing people.

If you need an interpreter and they refuse to provide one, you can contact the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) for help.

You must try to give your doctor or hospital enough time to organise an interpreter for you. Sometimes if you have to see your doctor urgently, it may not be possible to find an interpreter in time.

The care you get from your doctor, the midwife and the hospital is called 'antenatal care'. You will be seen regularly during your pregnancy to check that everything is well with you and your baby.

Antenatal appointments are usually: every four weeks until you are 28 or 30 weeks pregnant; then every two weeks until 36 weeks; and then every week until you have your baby.

Use the time with your doctor or midwife to ask questions about your pregnancy, or tell them about anything that is worrying you.