Planning your pregnancy
Bringing a new life into the world can be exciting and life-changing experience. It's important to remember that pregnancy is not just about the baby, it's also about your health and wellbeing.
The maternal medicine team is a dedicated group of healthcare professionals who provide guidance to individuals with medical conditions who are planning pregnancies in the mid and south Essex area.
We specialise in:
- Providing advice about medication during pregnancy - we can help you understand the risks and benefits of taking medication during pregnancy, and develop a plan that is safe for you and your baby.
- Creating personalised care plans for both pregnancy and labour and delivery - we will work with you to create a plan that meets your individual needs and goals.
If you are a person with medical conditions who is looking to have a baby, considering fertility treatment, or who have had a previous complicated pregnancy due to a medical condition, please visit the 'referral form' section below.
Medical conditions
We offer specialised clinics and services to treat a variety of medical conditions that can affect pregnancy, such as:
- Cardiac or heart conditions
- Hypertension or high blood pressure
- Neurological diseases, such as epilepsy
- Blood conditions, including sickle cell disease, bleeding and clotting disorders
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Joint disease
- Severe skin conditions
If you have a medical condition that's not listed above and still have questions, please email mse.preconception@nhs.net.
Referral form
If you are a person with medical conditions who is looking to have a baby, considering fertility treatment, or who have had a previous complicated pregnancy due to a medical condition, you can be referred to us by your GP or you can self-refer.
Our specialists will assess your medical needs and create a personalised care plan for you during pregnancy and beyond.
To self-refer
Download the Preconception advice referral form (for patients) [docx] and complete it. Then please email it to mse.preconception@nhs.net.
Referral by GP
You can ask your GP to refer you directly to us and they will complete the referral form.
Meet the team
Your consultant may vary depending on where you live, but our team is dedicated to making pregnancy planning as seamless and stress-free as possible. When under our care, you can expect your obstetrics and gynaecology consultants to be:
- Basildon Hospital - Tajmina Begum, Obstetric and Gynaecology consultant
- Broomfield Hospital - Sameena Kausar, Obstetric and Gynaecology consultant
- Southend Hospital - Yee Yin Chan, Obstetric and Gynaecology consultant.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or concerns before submitting the referral, please feel free to email us at mse.preconception@nhs.net.
Resources
Are you ready to start a family? Take the Tommy quiz to learn how to improve the health of your future pregnancy and children at https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/planning-pregnancy/planning-for-pregnancy-tool .
Here are some additional websites and resources that you may find helpful as you plan your pregnancy:
- Planning to become a parent - https://patient.info/pregnancy/planning-to-become-pregnant
- Planning your pregnancy - https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/trying-for-a-baby/planning-your-pregnancy
- Planning a pregnancy - https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/planning-a-pregnancy
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Mid and South Essex Gynaecology, Maternity and Paediatrics services.