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Pregnancy FAQs

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On this page you'll find answers to some of the most common pregnancy questions.  For more detailed information, you can also order the Tommy's Guide to Being Pregnant free of charge.

If you would like to contact one of our midwives with a concern you have please call our pregnancy helpline on 0870 777 30 60 or you can email a midwife. 

How can I ease nausea in pregnancy?

Nausea is unfortunately a very common complaint in pregnancy. For most women it gets better around 12 to 20 weeks but before that it can have a huge affect on your daily life. Nausea and vomiting aren't only restricted to mornings, they can happen at any time, so the term "morning sickness" can be misleading.

Things that some women find helpful include ginger and travel sickness wrist bands. Some women find eating ginger biscuits or drinking ginger tea, particularly first thing in the morning in bed, helpful. The travel sickness wrist bands are elasticated bracelets that have a plastic button that presses on a particular place on your wrist.

If the nausea is accompanied by severe vomiting so you cannot keep food or drink down you need to contact your GP or midwife as soon as possible.

What foods should I avoid in pregnancy?

There are some foods that are thought to pose a risk to pregnant women, these include:
• liver and liver products
• soft mould ripened cheeses, such as Camembert, Brie and blue-veined cheese
• pâté (including vegetable pâté)
• uncooked or undercooked ready-prepared meals
• uncooked or cured meat, such as salami or Parma ham
• raw shellfish, such as oysters
• fish containing relatively high levels of mercury, such as shark, swordfish and marlin, which might affect the nervous system of the fetus
• unpasteurised milk or dairy products made from unpasteurised milk
• raw or undercooked eggs or products containing them such as fresh mayonnaise

It is recommended that the intake of certain other foods be limited, such as:
• tuna to no more than two medium size cans or one fresh tuna steak per week
• caffeine to 300 milligrams a day. Caffeine is present in coffee, tea, colas, energy drinks and chocolate
• alcohol is best avoided during pregnancy.  For further information, please contact a Tommy's midwife on 0870 777 3060 or email us at midwife@tommys.org.

Are probiotic drinks safe in pregnancy?

It is thought that probiotic drinks are safe to take in pregnancy unless the package directly says not to take it during pregnancy.

Do I need to take folic acid?

All pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy are advised to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid as an additional supplement to their diet. Taking folic acid reduces the risk of having a baby with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. These tablets can either be bought from a chemist or given on prescription by your GP. If you pay full price for your prescriptions then it may be cheaper to buy these from a chemist. If you are already pregnant then your prescriptions will be free. They should be taken for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and then you may choose whether to continue to take them for the rest of the pregnancy. The current research suggests that it does no harm to continue to take it beyond the first 12 weeks of pregnancy but is not clear if there are any benefits.

Is it safe to colour my hair in pregnancy?

Hair dyes have been around for many years now and there doesn’t appear to be any evidence to prove that there are any links to birth defects. However, as there is no research to prove it we cannot say that dyeing hair is definitely safe.

If you do choose to go ahead there are some things you can do to limit the risks to yourself. Women’s skin tends to be more sensitive during pregnancy and the hair dye can irritate your skin. To reduce the chance of this being a problem, ensure you follow the instructions carefully. Do a patch skin test 24 hours before the planned treatment even if you have used the product before. If you are having the dye done in a salon your hairdresser can arrange for this to be done.

It is best to have someone else do the treatment for you to limit the exposure to the chemicals. If you have to do it yourself, wear gloves.

Also, always ensure you are in a well ventilated room and that you don’t leave the product on for any longer than is recommended in the instructions.

What will happen at my “booking” appointment?

Your “booking” appointment is the first appointment you will have with your midwife. It will usually take place between weeks 8 and 12 of your pregnancy. This appointment may take place in a hospital, in your GP surgery, local health centre or in your own home.

The appointment will usually take around 45 minutes to an hour, but it may take longer if you have a lot to discuss. The midwife will need to take lots of details from you including your contact details, your height and weight, any medical problems or conditions you have or have had or that are in your family. From these details the midwife will be able to decide whether you need any special treatment.

The midwife will also ask you for a urine sample which will be sent away to check for infections, and your blood pressure will be checked. You will be asked for the date of the start of your last period and from this your midwife will work out when your baby is due.

You will also have an opportunity to discuss factors that may affect your pregnancy. Your midwife will discuss issues such as healthy eating, keeping healthy during the pregnancy, and advise you of what tests, scans and care are available to you.

You will also be offered blood tests to check your blood group and Rhesus status, anaemia, Hepatitis B virus, HIV, rubella susceptibility and syphilis.

This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions that you may have. You can take a partner or friend along with you but remember you may be asked some personal questions.

What will happen at my antenatal appointments?

At your antenatal appointments the midwife will always check your blood pressure and a sample of your urine. The midwife will be looking for changes in your blood pressure from your first booking appointment. In your urine she is checking that there is no protein or sugar. Protein could be a sign of an infection or later in the pregnancy it could be a sign of pre-eclampsia (see "What is pre-eclampsia"). Sugar is quite often found in pregnant women’s urine and is usually not a problem however the midwife will monitor this as it could be a sign of diabetes in pregnancy.

She will also measure the height of your womb, and later in the pregnancy from feeling your bump she can tell you about the size of the baby and which way round it is. She may also listen to the baby’s heartbeat. Take a list of the questions that you want to ask with you. You can take a partner or friend along with you but remember you may be asked some personal questions.

It is very important that you attend all appointments that are scheduled for you as the midwife will be looking out for any unusual signs of complications.

Is it safe to fly abroad in pregnancy?

Yes commercial flights are thought to be safe for pregnant women. Like all people who fly, particularly those flying long distance, pregnant women should try to reduce their risks of blood clots (DVT) by wearing below the knee elasticated flight socks, and not sitting in one position for too long, so moving your feet up and down regularly, and getting up to walk around the aircraft whenever you can. Also make sure you avoid getting dehydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol.

You need to check with the individual airlines when you are buying the tickets to find out what their policy is on flying in pregnancy. Usually you need a letter from your GP, confirming that you are healthy and your due date, if you want to fly after 28 weeks, but some airlines require this earlier. The limit for flying, set by the airlines, is usually 36 weeks but again you need to check this with the airline you are flying with.

Check with you GP or practice nurse to find out if any vaccinations are required where you are travelling to. You must tell the doctor or nurse that you are pregnant as they will need to check if the vaccinations are safe to use in pregnancy.

If you are travelling to a malaria risk country it is worth remembering that malaria is more dangerous to the health of a pregnant woman and her baby. You should take precautions to avoid insect bites by minimising skin exposure and using bed nets. Pregnant women appear to attract twice as many malaria-carrying mosquitoes as women who are not pregnant. But do not exceed the recommended dosage of insect repellents.

It is important to check that your travel and medical insurance is adequate now that you are pregnant. Read all of your policy if you have an existing insurance policy and ensure if you are taking out a new policy that it fully covers pregnancy and any possible complications and care of mother and baby should the baby arrive prematurely whilst abroad.

What do some of the common abbreviations in my notes mean?

Your midwives and doctors should always aim to write the words in full at least once in your notes next to the abbreviations but in a busy clinic this doesn’t always happen. You can always ask your midwife what the writing in your notes means. Here are some of the common abbreviations.

BP - Blood Pressure
CTG - Cardiotocography (the monitor that is used in hospitals to get a reading of your baby’s heartbeat and monitor if your womb is contracting)
Cx - Cervix
ECV - External cephalic version
EDD - Estimated due date
FH - Fetal Heart or Fundal Height
FHHR - Fetal heart heard and regular
FMF - Fetal movements felt
GBS - Group B streptococcus
GTT - Glucose tolerance test
Hb - Haemoglobin
hCG - Human chorionic gonadotrophin
IUGR - Intrauterine growth restriction
LMP - Last menstrual period
LSCS - Caesarean Section (Lower Segment)
MSU - Midstream Urine
NAD - Nothing abnormal detected
NICU - Neonatal intensive care unit
PIH - Pregnancy-induced hypertension
RhD - rhesus D
SFH - Symphysis–fundal height
USS - Ultrasound scan
UTI - Urinary tract infection
VE - Vaginal examination

Is it safe to exercise in pregnancy?

Yes, starting or continuing a moderate level of exercise is not thought to cause any harm in pregnancy and should help you to feel good during the pregnancy. For a minority of pregnant women exercise is not recommended if the pregnancy is complicated by other medical problems. Your doctor or midwife would advise you if exercise was not advisable for you.

There are a few sports which are best to avoid in pregnancy. These include contact sports, high impact sports and vigorous racquet sports that may risk bumps to your abdomen, excessive stress on your joints or risks you falling and scuba diving should definitely be avoided.

Walking, swimming and yoga are all good exercises to be done in pregnancy. If you attend an exercise class it is important that the teacher knows you are pregnant. A good rule of thumb is that you should always be able to hold a normal conversation during exercise, if you can’t you are probably working too hard and need to slow down. Ensure you drink plenty of water.

Is it safe to have sex in pregnancy?

Yes sex is not thought to cause any harm during pregnancy. Unless your doctor or midwife has told you not to have sex because you are at particular risk, you should be fine to continue with sexual intercourse.

Different women experience different feelings about sex during their pregnancy. Some women find they want it more than they did before they were pregnant and some want it less. The important thing is to talk with your partner and discuss your feelings about sex.

How can I get rid of heartburn?

Heartburn is unfortunately another condition that is common in pregnancy. There are a few things that you can do to help, think about your posture and especially after meals sit up straight to help your food digest and at night prop yourself up on pillows. You may need to rethink your diet too. Eat smaller more frequent meals, avoid fatty foods, and caffeine.

If it still continues to be troublesome after trying these things you can get a prescription of antacids from your GP.

What should I do about my pierced belly-button in pregnancy?

It is usually best to replace metal bars or rings with longer flexible plastic jewellery. These allow the abdomen to grow without causing pain or injury to your belly button.

You can buy these plastic bars from many piercing shops or some websites supply them.

Is it normal to have more vaginal discharge in pregnancy?

Yes, this is a normal response to pregnancy. It will usually be creamy white. If this is itchy, sore, has an offensive smell or you have pain on passing urine, there may be an infection and you should ask your GP or midwife for advice.

Why was I offered a HIV test?

All pregnant women are offered a HIV test. This is because not only can the mother begin to receive appropriate care but there is treatment and care that can be given that can reduce the chance of the baby contracting HIV.

What is toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, which is a microscopic organism.

It can be caught by eating anything infected with the parasite. This includes directly eating anything with infected cat faeces in it (for example soil), or eating raw and undercooked meat, or eating unwashed fruit and vegetables, or consuming unpasteurised goats milk and goats milk products. For the baby, toxoplasmosis can be caught from its mother whilst still in the womb.

If toxoplasmosis is caught in early pregnancy and is transmitted to the baby then there is a high risk of miscarriage. Babies infected during that first trimester or the second trimester may be born with severe abnormalities such as hydrocephalus (water on the brain), brain damage, or epilepsy. They may also suffer with deafness, blindness or growth problems. These may be so severe that the baby is stillborn.

If toxoplasmosis is caught in the third trimester of pregnancy and transmitted to the baby then babies may not suffer such severe and obvious problems. Although most of these babies may appear normal at birth, a large proportion will develop problems later in life. These are usually eye problems.

To avoid catching toxoplasmosis you can take the following precautions.
• Only eat meat that has been thoroughly cooked through. Do not eat rare meat with any pinkness or blood in it (eating raw or undercooked meat is the most common cause of toxoplasmosis).
• Wash your hands and all cooking utensils and surfaces after preparing raw meat.
• Wash all fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove all traces of soil.
• Always wear gloves when gardening. Take care not to put hands or gloves to your mouth and wash your hands and gloves when finished to remove all traces of soil.
• Wear rubber gloves when handling dirty cat litter. Take care not to put hands or gloves to your mouth and wash your hands and gloves when finished. If possible get someone else to do this job.
• Avoid cured meats, such as Parma ham and salami.
• Avoid unpasteurised goat's milk and products made from it.
• Take care when visiting farms and wash hands thoroughly after any contact with sheep. Avoid handling new born lambs.
• Cover children's sandboxes to prevent cats from using them as litter boxes.

Do I need to take iron tablets?

You only need to take iron tablets if your GP or Midwife prescribes them for you because you have become anaemic. Iron levels do fall in pregnancy so one of the blood tests that are taken measure your iron levels. If they are low then you will be given iron. It is important that your iron levels are not too low when you go into labour.

If you are worried about your iron levels in pregnancy it is a good idea to eat foods that are rich in iron such as fortified cereals, red meat and green leafy vegetables. Some women do experience side-effects of the tablets such as diarrhoea and constipation. To avoid this always take the tablets with a meal and drink some orange juice with the meal and avoid tea or coffee for an hour either side of taking the tablet, as this helps the iron to be absorbed into your system.

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Contact details

Tommy's, the baby charity
Nicholas House
3 Laurence Pountney Hill
London
EC4R 0BB

Pregnancy information line

T: 0870 777 30 60

E: info@tommys.org

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