Your First Midwife Appointment and First Scan: What Happens, and When

Once you get a positive pregnancy test, the next practical step is contacting a GP or midwifery service to arrange your first appointment — often earlier than people expect, and the true starting point of NHS antenatal care.

When to contact a GP or midwife

As soon as you know you're pregnant, contact a GP surgery or self-refer directly to your local midwifery service (many areas allow this) to arrange your booking appointment. There's no need to wait for a scan first — a positive home test is enough to begin the process.

The booking appointment: around 8-10 weeks

This is usually your longest antenatal appointment, ideally happening by around week 10. It covers: your full health and pregnancy history, blood tests (blood group, anaemia, infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis, and immunity to conditions like rubella), blood pressure and urine checks, discussion of your due date, and screening options you'll be offered later. You'll also get advice on diet, supplements, and lifestyle specific to your circumstances.

The dating scan: around 8-14 weeks

This ultrasound scan confirms how many weeks pregnant you are (hence "dating"), checks for a heartbeat, confirms the number of babies, and gives you a more accurate due date than calculation from your last period alone, particularly useful if your cycles are irregular. It's usually offered between 8 and 14 weeks, most commonly around 12 weeks.

Combined screening: around 11-14 weeks

If you choose to have it, combined screening for conditions including Down's syndrome is typically offered in this window, often alongside or shortly after the dating scan, and involves a blood test plus a specific ultrasound measurement (nuchal translucency).

The anomaly scan: around 18-21 weeks

A more detailed ultrasound checking the baby's physical development, offered to everyone in this window regardless of the earlier screening choices made — worth knowing this is a separate, later appointment rather than a repeat of the dating scan.

How many appointments total?

For a first pregnancy with no complications, the NHS schedules around 10 antenatal appointments; for subsequent pregnancies without complications, typically around 7. This varies based on individual circumstances and any risk factors identified along the way.