Patient NoticeEPU are currently experiencing a high level of referrals and there will be a delay in being triaged and offered a scan. |
You must have an appointment to attend the Early Pregnancy Unit.
We operate an appointment only system and are not able to accept walk ins. For out of hours advice, please contact NHS 111 or go directly to your nearest emergency department if your symptoms worsen.
The EPU Self-Referral Form is available from Monday (morning) to Friday (afternoon) (excluding bank holidays). Referrals are reviewed Monday to Friday, between 9am and 3pm. Once we have received a referral for you we will contact you within 48hours (During our opening hours, Monday- Friday 0900-1700, excluding bank holidays) via telephone, please ensure your correct phone number is on the referral.
All referrals will be triaged by our specialist midwives/nurses within 48 hours (Monday–Friday) who will contact you to discuss your symptoms and to offer you an appointment if necessary. Please note this may not involve an ultrasound scan, if it is not appropriate. We may offer you further blood testing/scanning to confirm an ongoing pregnancy.
Referral Criteria
| Referral Pathway | |
| From positive test until dating scan (usually 12 weeks) | Pain or bleeding in pregnancy, complete online self-referral form here: Early Pregnancy Unit Self-Referral Form - the EPU Self-Referral Form is available from Monday (morning) to Friday (afternoon) (excluding bank holidays) - or attend Emergency Department if severe pain or very heavy vaginal bleeding. History of the following are also eligible to self-refer:
|
| Dating Scan (usually 12 weeks) until 15+6 weeks | Call GP (NHS 111 out of hours) or attend Emergency Department if severe pain or very heavy vaginal bleeding. |
| 16 weeks onwards | Contact Call a Midwife Line 0300 123 5473 for any urgent enquiries. |
Please do not contact the Early Pregnancy Unit to arrange an appointment with the midwife to book your pregnancy. You can do this by going online: Badger Notes - Self-refer your pregnancy to Ashford and St Peters
At your appointment
If you are asked to come in for an assessment, please leave plenty of time to arrive and for parking. Although we offer you an appointment, it is a sit and wait emergency appointment and will be seen in order of clinical priority. If you are given a designated appointment time with a sonographer and arrive late, it may not be possible for you to be seen and we may need to re-book your appointment.
You are welcome to bring one partner/friend with you, but please note that children are not permitted in the department. Please discuss any concerns with the nurse/midwife during telephone triage.
The majority of our scans performed will be transvaginal (internal) due to the early stages of pregnancy. This may be uncomfortable but is very safe in early pregnancy. You may decline an internal scan and an abdominal scan will be performed instead.
The Early Pregnancy Unit is a consultant-led service and is delivered by a team of Consultant Gynaecologists, specialist nurse sonographers, nurses, midwives and junior doctors who provide consultation, assessment, scans and treatment plans for women with complications of pregnancy up until your 12-week scan.
The dedicated staff are sensitive and committed to supporting the physical and emotional needs of women and couples requiring our service.
The Early Pregnancy Unit assesses women with complications such as pain, bleeding and patients admitted to hospital with excessive vomiting.
Reminder - Please do not contact the Early Pregnancy Unit to arrange an antenatal appointment with the midwife to book your pregnancy. You can do this by going online: Badger Notes - Self-refer your pregnancy to Ashford and St Peters
What does bleeding mean in Early Pregnancy?
Bleeding and pain during early pregnancy are relatively common symptoms and do not always mean there is a problem, however this should always be investigated.
The below guide may help you to assess your bleeding:
Severe bleeding
Means you are soaking through 2-3 of your usual pads each hour for 2 or more hours. For most women, soaking through their usual pads every hour for 2 or more hours is not normal and is considered severe. You may have a gush of blood or pass a clot, but if the bleeding stops, it is not considered severe.
Moderate bleeding
Means that you are soaking more than 1 pad in 3 hours.
Mild bleeding
Means that you are soaking less than 1 pad in more than 3 hours.
Minimal bleeding
Means "spotting" or a few drops of blood.
You may require emergency care if:
- you are in significant pain despite simple pain killers such as Paracetamol
- experiencing moderate to severe vaginal bleeding
The Tommy’s Pathway
The Tommy’s Pathway: Clinical Decision Support Tool (also known as the Tommy’s App) supports your midwife and/or doctor in assessing your chance of having a preterm birth (when your baby is born early) and your chance of developing problems with the placenta during pregnancy (which can show as pre-eclampsia or prevent your baby from growing).
Understanding the chance of these problems developing early in pregnancy means that your midwife/doctor can offer personalised care according to your individual needs. For some this means avoiding unnecessary appointments and for others this means ensuring the right care is offered at the right time to help lessen the chance of these problems developing.
The Tool uses information from your medical and pregnancy history, your scan results, and other tests to assess your chance more accurately than the current checklist method.
It is important to note that the Tool does not ‘decide your care’ and it does not replace the knowledge or clinical skills of your midwife or doctor, in informing you about your care recommendations. Your midwife or doctor will discuss options with you to plan your pregnancy pathway so that you can make informed decisions about your care and what is best for you and your baby.
