Before you’re 20 weeks pregnant, if you have an urgent concern regarding your pregnancy please contact your GP, NHS 111 or your nearest A&E. A number of care pathways are available and the professional assessing you will let you know which is best for you based on your clinical symptoms. For example, you may be referred to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit which is a dedicated nurse-led service, operating seven days a week, offering an ultrasound scanning service and assessment.

You may find the Tommy’s website helpful. It gives advice if you’re concerned you’re having a miscarriage in early pregnancy however, please only contact the above organisations if you have an urgent concern, as these are the appropriate pathways for this area.

The Maternity Assessment Suite (MAS) provides 24/7 maternity triage and care for your urgent concerns from 20 weeks of your pregnancy and up to 28 days after the birth of your baby. The MAS is located close to Labour Ward at Warwick Hospital.

If you have an urgent concern, contact the midwives in MAS who are always available to speak to you. Please don’t contact your named midwife or practice midwifery team with an urgent concern. Midwives in the community work a variety of shifts and aren’t always available therefore may not be able to deal with your concern in the necessary timeframe. 

The Bluebell Birth Centre at Warwick Hospital provides 24/7 assessment for low-risk women and birthing people from 37 weeks of pregnancy with labour queries. 

Our Antenatal Assessment Unit (AAU) is situated in the Women’s Unit at Warwick Hospital and provides care from 20 weeks of pregnancy for routine or less urgent concerns. 

In many cases the symptoms listed below can be treated easily and will not lead to a serious complication. But sometimes they are signs of something more serious. It’s always best to speak with us in Maternity Assessment Suite (MAS) and be assessed if necessary. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call MAS' telephone number for the concerns listed below: 01926 495321 ext 8408
You have concerns about your baby’s movements

You will know the importance of being aware of your baby’s movements during your pregnancy. If you’re concerned that your baby is moving less or very differently to how you are used to then contact us to discuss this.

You have noticed vaginal bleeding

A ‘show’ (the mucus plug) can start coming away from the cervix days (or sometimes weeks) before you go into labour. This will have a sticky, mucousy and blood-stained appearance and is completely normal. Fresh red bleeding however is not normal. If you are unsure, contact MAS to discuss this.

If the bleeding is severe call 999 for an ambulance.
You’re not 37 weeks but have got very watery discharge

You may notice an increase in vaginal discharge during pregnancy but if you notice that it’s very watery, coming in gushes or soaking any sanitary wear, then it might be a sign that your waters have broken, and this should be assessed. 

You have watery discharge that is green in colour

When your waters break, we expect the colour to be clear or straw coloured.  If it is green, it may be a sign that your baby has had their first poo whilst still inside your tummy. We would like to assess this and make a plan with you if required. 

You have a headache that is not relieved by paracetamol, or spots in your vision

A severe headache that does not improve with paracetamol or sudden unusual changes to your vision may indicate a change in your blood pressure which could be dangerous in pregnancy. 

You have severe tummy pain or back pain that has suddenly started

While it’s normal to have slight contractions through pregnancy (this is when you feel your stomach contracting and relaxing), if you experience a sudden, sharp on-going pain that won’t go away or sudden severe back pain then you will need to be checked out. 

Your hands and feet have started itching

While itching is common in pregnancy, severe itching without a rash (particularly in the last four months of pregnancy) can be a sign of a liver disorder, dependent on day and time we may invite you into MAS or book you into AAU. 

You feel very unwell, or you’ve got severe flu-like symptoms

If you feel really unwell, we would like to talk to you to assess where would be the best place for you to be seen – your GP, A&E or MAS. 

You’re postnatal and you’ve got concerns

If you have very heavy bleeding, requiring a frequent change of your sanitary wear, or you feel very unwell with flu-like symptoms, significant concerns about your perineal stitches or caesarean section wound, we would like to talk to you to assess where would be the best place for you to be seen – your GP, MAS or by your midwife. 

If you’re attending with an urgent concern, we will aim to see you for an initial triage appointment within 15 minutes to carry out a brief assessment. After this, depending on the urgency of your situation, you may be asked to wait in the waiting room for ongoing care. We prioritise our patients based on their level of clinical need, not their order of arrival. This may mean that patients who arrive after you are seen before you. We appreciate your patience and understanding. This helps us to provide safe and effective care.

Women and birthing people are then seen in the following order following initial assessment:

  • Red (emergency): Seen and treated immediately
  • Amber (urgent): Normally seen within 15 minutes
  • Yellow (moderate): Normally seen within 1 hour
  • Green (non-urgent): Normally seen within 4 hours

MAS is intended for acute or emergency situations. If your concern is not an emergency or is not pregnancy/post birth related, then you should either discuss this with your community midwife at your next appointment or see your GP. Examples of this are:

  • If you think you might have a urine infection
  • You require your MATB1 form
  • Itching on your stomach
  • Diarrhoea and vomiting lasting less than 48 hours unless you have a fever over 37.5°C, are not producing very much urine or have worsening stomach pains
  • Swollen hands and feet in the absence of other symptoms

Everyone is different, but it can take anything from a few days to a few weeks to recover physically from a miscarriage. You may find that you are particularly tired or feel generally run down.

Experiencing a miscarriage can have a profound emotional impact on you and on your partner, friends and family. 

Advice and support are available during this difficult time.

More information can be found at: 

  • Miscarriage- NHS website
  • Tommy's - Miscarriage information and support
  • The Miscarriage Association - A charitable organisation that provides information and support to those who’ve been affected by miscarriage, molar pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy.