Early Pregnancy Unit

• Depending on your symptoms, your GP or other healthcare provider may feel that you need to be seen more urgently. We will assess you on the Women’s Health Unit and arrange care and treatment. It is possible that this visit could last several hours.
• A nurse and possibly a doctor will see you during your visit. We will ask you about your symptoms and medical history.
• If appropriate, an ultrasound scan will be carried out to assess your pregnancy. This may be done abdominally or vaginally. Both methods are safe in early pregnancy and the sonographer will discuss this with you. As an ultrasound scan is a diagnostic test, we ask you to bring only 1 adult with you. We are unable to accommodate children on the unit.
• You will receive the results immediately and may be discharged if everything is okay with your baby.
• Frequently, in early pregnancy, a follow-up scan is required; sometimes we need to take blood to assess the pregnancy hormone level in your blood. This may mean multiple visits to the hospital and a wait for a final answer and diagnosis.
• You will be provided with one scan picture of your baby. There may be a small charge for this. 

• No, not always. Around 20% of early pregnancies will end in miscarriage, but this means that 80% are ok. There are lots of reasons why ladies may experience pain or bleeding.
• Sadly, some pregnancies do result in pregnancy loss. If this happens to you, the nurse and doctor will discuss treatment options with you and make all arrangements, at a time when you are ready.

We are only able to offer a reassurance scan to patients who experience recurrent miscarriage (3 or more consecutive losses). We are sorry that we are not able to extend this to everyone.