Preterm birth team

You will be cared for by the Preterm Birth Team at UHNM if you are high risk of having your baby early. The team consists of a Preterm Birth Midwife and a Preterm Birth Consultant who provide joint, individualised antenatal care.

The Preterm Birth Clinic runs in the Antenatal Clinic at UHNM on Tuesdays by the Preterm Birth Consultant, Mr Young. 

There are a number of reasons why you may be referred to the Preterm Birth Clinic:

  • You have previously had a baby born before 34 weeks gestation.
  • Your waters have previously broken before 34 weeks in your pregnancy (PPROM, preterm prelabour rupture of membranes).
  • You have previously had surgery on your cervix.
  • Your womb is a different shape than expected.
  • You have previously experienced a late miscarriage between 16 and 24 weeks gestation.
  • You previously had a caesarean section birth when your cervix was fully dilated

 

You will meet with the consultant who will discuss your risks for preterm birth.

You may be offered a transvaginal ultrasound scan to measure the length of your cervix. This scan involves a probe being inserted into the vagina and requires an empty bladder. Please get in touch with your community midwife if you wish to discuss this further.

Please seek advice by contacting the 24-hour helpline number for the Maternity Assessment Unit on 01782 672300 if you have any possible signs of premature labour:

  • Contractions, tightenings or period-type pains.
  • A “show” – when the plug of mucus that has sealed the cervix during pregnancy comes away and out of the vagina.
  • A gush or trickle of fluid from your vagina – this could be your waters breaking early (PPROM).
  • Backache that’s not usual for you.

We are proud to have launched PERIPrem in July 2024. PERIPrem is a unique perinatal care bundle of 11 interventions that demonstrate a significant impact on brain injury and mortality rates amongst babies born prematurely. PERIPrem also forges new ways of working, where clinicians from obstetrics, midwifery and neonatal join together to drive forward and revolutionise care for pre-term babies.

More information can be found on the following link: The PERIPrem care bundle - Health Innovation West of England (healthinnowest.net)