Pregnancy and Childbirth

UK sources of information and / or support

Patient UK

Has several leaflets on pregnancy.

The Pregnancy Book

Information from the Department of Health. This book is full of useful information and advice about all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. The Pregnancy Book has been written with advice from: Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association, Department of Health, Maternity Alliance, National Childbirth Trust, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, St. John Ambulance.

Emma's Diary

A step-by-step pregnancy guide, produced by The Royal College of General Practitioners in association with Lifecycle Marketing. It provides healthcare information and advice, written in the form of a diary by 'Emma' a first-time mum. The diary takes readers through all stages of pregnancy on a week by week basis, using the experiences of Emma and her friends. It provides a valuable insight into the changes experienced during pregnancy along with detailed information on areas of interest such as nutrition, morning sickness, breast feeding and relationships.

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Their website has a section aimed at the general public. All the information on this section comes from up-to-date and carefully-checked guidance for doctors, but it's been written in a way that makes it clearer for the non-medical person.

Informed Choice Leaflets

A set of evidence-based leaflets produced by midirs - Midwives Information and Resource Service which examine key decisions facing expectant mothers during pregnancy and is designed to assist them in making informed choices.

Maternity and early years: making a good start to family life

Policy document from the Department of Health.

Having a baby

Information from Directgov.

Maternity matters: choice, access and continuity of care in a safe service

Policy document from the Department of Health.

Go Folic!

Led the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and the Scottish Spina Bifida Association, Go Folic! encourages women to take folic acid before getting pregnant to help reduce neural tube defects in babies.

National Childbirth Trust

The National Childbirth Trust is the leading charity offering information and support in pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood.

Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association

Professional body but their website includes information on 'Pain Relief in Labour' and 'Caesarean section: your choice of anaesthesia' and a video.

Eating while you are Pregnant

Information from the Food Standards Agency.

Diet Advice for Diabetes Diagnosed in Pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes)

Information from West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust.

Baby Registry

Pregnancy and parenting information/reference site for new and expectant parents in the UK. 1000 pages of factsheets, advice from mums and dads and hundreds of contacts.

Twins and Multiple Births Association

A registered charity in the United Kingdom for all parents with twins, triplets, quads, sextuplets or more. The organisation provides information and a mutual support networks for families.

Eating for Pregnancy

Information form the University of Sheffield. This site is for you if you're thinking about having a baby or you're already expecting a baby. Lots of information about eating a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Ready, Steady, Baby

Whether you're planning on having a baby, are already pregnant, or are supporting a partner or a friend, this website offers a guide to pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

Multiple Births Foundation

Information and support for parents and professionals involved with multiple births.

Premature Babies UK

A site set up by a mother of a premature baby, including information on a range of issues connected wtih premature babies and links to other sources.

Pregnancy - I am Pregnant, is it safe for me to travel by air?

Frequently Asked Questions of the The Aviation Health Unit.

Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services

Information and support for parents and professionals. Online articles cover many maternity issues such as breech birth, caesareans, pain relief and miscarriage.

Association of Radical Midwives

Midwives and others in the UK committed to improving the maternity care provided by the NHS. The association believes that all women have the right to a service tailored more closely to their needs, and a sympathetic attitude on the part of their professional attendants. Primarily a support group for people having difficulty in getting or giving good, sympathetic, personalised midwifery care.

Miscarriage Association

The Miscarriage Association is a UK National Charity which gives support and information for all on the subject of pregnancy loss.

Tommy's

Tommy's, the baby charity funds research into the causes of stillbirth, miscarriage nad premature birth. It provides parents and parents-to-be with information on these areas and information on how to have a healthy pregnancy.

Ectopic Pregnancy Trust

Support and information about ectopic pregnancy.

Jane's Breastfeeding and Childbirth Resources

Large collection of links to breastfeeding, pregnancy and childbirth related information.

UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative

Working with the UK's health services to ensure that all parents are enabled and supported to make informed choices about how they feed and care for their babies. Lots of information on breast feeding.

MorningWell

Site from Daval Ltd, producers of MorningWell, a simple audio cassette tape containing a revolutionary audio programme that has been created from a unique blend of music, specific frequencies and pulses to cure the symptoms of morning sickness.

CareConfidential

For free, confidential advice if facing an unplanned pregnancy or dealing with post abortion concerns.

Disability, Pregnancy & Parenthood International

A small UK based registered charity, controlled by disabled parents, which promotes better awareness and support for disabled people considering, during and after pregnancy and as parents. DPPi is a charity for disabled people who are already parents and their families, those who wish to become parents and their families and also for health and social work professionals and other individuals and organizations concerned with disability and/or pregnancy and parenting.

BirthChoiceUK

This non-commercial website helps women in the UK choose where to give birth using information about maternity care, maternity statistics and research-based information about childbirth.

Home Birth Reference Site

What is the evidence on home birth safety and outcomes? Summaries of research, and information on booking a home birth in the UK.

LIFE

Dedicated to caring for pregnant women and their children. It is non-political and non-denominational. Committed to upholding the utmost respect for human life from fertilisation.

Tiny Tickers - Echo UK

A charity which aims to improve the detection, care and treatment of heart disease in babies, before birth.

Society for the Protection of the Unborn Children (SPUC)

Primarily an educational and lobbying organisation but also responds to requests for assistance from expectant mothers facing difficulties. Counselling for those harmed by abortion is provided by the British Victims of Abortion, a division or the SPUC Educational Research Trust.

Midwivesonline.com

This site is a response to the information needs of professional midwives, student midwives and to some extent other related professions such as neonatal nurses and health visitors. The ultimate aim is to ensure that midwives and the Mothers/Families cared for by them, have easy access to user-friendly, relevant, up-to-date information necessary to make decisions about their own and their baby's treatment and care.

midirs(Midwives Information and Resource Service)

Information on midwifery, pregnancy, childbirth, the newborn, and maternity services. statistics, government and official reports, books, conference proceedings, newspaper articles, and consumer information leaflets etc.

Healthy Start

Healthy Start gives pregnant women and children under 5 in low income families vouchers for free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk.

ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices)

ARC is the only national charity offering information and support to parents throughout the antenantal testing process and when an abnormality is diagnosed in their unborn baby. Ongoing support is offered whatever decision is made about the future of the pregnancy

Pregnancy

Healthtalkonline, is an award-winning charity website, which lets you share in other people's experiences of health and illness. The information is based on qualitative research into patient experiences led by experts at the University of Oxford.

Making Decisions About Birth After Caesarean

Pregnancy

Youthhealthtalk is a website about young people’s real life experiences of health and lifestyle. It is not just a website about the medical facts, this is about real people and real lives.

Babyview

A 4d scanning service, showing moving images of babies in the womb. The scans are of a high quality.

Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Women's Health

Mainly for members but site includes some useful leaflets on a variety of topics, including Aquanatal Guidelines.

Babyworld

Parenting website for new and expectant parents to find advice and support. Information on all aspects of parenting, daily updates, competitions, celebrity news, a friendly and thriving community, experts include GP, midwife, health visitor, breastfeeding counsellor, online antenatal classes run by NCT antenatal teacher, babynamer and pregnancy planner.

Birth Trauma Association

Aims to support women suffering from Post Natal PTSD (Post Traumtic Stress disorder) and to offer basic advice and support to women who are traumatised by childbirth but who do not have PTSD.

Doula UK - 'A network of Doulas, run by Doulas'

Doula is a Greek word meaning "woman servant or caregiver". It now refers to an experienced woman who offers emotional and practical support to a woman (or couple) before, during and after childbirth. Website gives information about doulas and how to find one.