About the treatment
If you have been told there are problems detected with your baby, it is normal to experience a range of emotions. You may be considering ending the pregnancy or you may be seeking information about your baby’s condition to make a decision.
If you are still looking for information to make a decision you may find Antenatal Results and Choices a useful website to visit for information on screening and pregnancy options.
If you have taken the decision to end the pregnancy, we can provide termination services.
We have a dedicated telephone line for our fetal anomaly care services:
Our fetal anomaly service is designed especially around the specific needs of women and couples who find themselves in this difficult and emotional position.
Once you contact our booking line to advise us that you are seeking our care because of a fetal anomaly, an experienced member of a clinic staff will take responsibility for your care and contact you directly to book an appointment.
By this time, you have probably had many medical tests and been involved with several medical services. We dedicate a member of our clinic team to you so they can talk to you directly about the tests you have already had and to avoid the repetition of procedures or tests. They will contact you directly to book an appointment and aim to treat you as soon as possible. Where possible with your permission, we can talk to your doctors and obtain your health records.
It is likely that the first time you attend our clinic will be on the day of treatment, so we advise you to read the following information. It explains the procedures you may have, how to prepare for treatment, and how to take care of yourself afterwards.
We will be sensitive to you and your partner’s needs and will provide the highest quality medical care and sensitive emotional support. If you were referred to us, we will request details of your previous medical examinations, ultrasound scans and blood tests.
If you referred yourself or we cannot access your medical records, you will:
- have a brief discussion about the circumstances of the pregnancy and your decision
- undergo a medical assessment including an ultrasound scan to determine gestational age
- have a finger prick blood test
- have a discussion about procedure options
In all cases, we explain the risks, benefits, and alternatives for treatment. You will need to sign a consent form to say that you understand the risks of the treatment you have chosen and that you wish to proceed. Sometimes two parents ask to sign the form, please let us know if this something you are considering.
We'll treat everything you tell us in confidence.
Doctors, nurses and other health workers are not allowed to give information about you to anyone without your consent, unless they think that you, or another person, are in serious danger. In these exceptional cases they will try to discuss it with you first. If you would like further information about how we use your data, please see our leaflet entitled 'How we use your health records'. We will protect all the information you give to us and only use it when necessary to deliver or improve care.
We usually write to your GP or the clinician who referred you, to advise them of the care you received from us. Please let us know if you do not want us to do this, or if there is anyone else to whom we should send a letter about your care.
The next step
If you have been booked for same-day treatment you will proceed to treatment on your first clinic attendance. If you have been booked for treatment on another day, we will tell you the time, date and place of your treatment.
