Routine care
Routine antenatal checks are ongoing assessments at each pregnancy appointment to monitor the health of you and your baby. This often includes checking:
- blood pressure
- weight
- urine (if needed)
- fundal height to check baby’s growth
- feeling baby’s position
- listening to the baby’s heartbeat.
Maternity care providers will also ask about your physical and mental health. These checks help detect potential issues early and make sure you and your baby are progressing well.
When
At every scheduled antenatal appointment throughout your pregnancy. You will attend appointments more frequently as your pregnancy progresses.
Seeing your maternity care provider regularly for antenatal check-ups during pregnancy helps keep both you and your baby healthy. The timing of your visits will depend on your health and how your pregnancy is progressing.
Your maternity care provider will advise you of the schedule for your appointments. At the start, appointments are more spaced out and become more frequent as your due date approaches. If you need additional appointments your maternity care provider will arrange this.
What to do next
Attend your antenatal appointments and report any concerns to your maternity care provider. If you need urgent support, call Triple Zero (000) or visit your nearest emergency department.
Costs
You’re encouraged to confirm costs for pathology and imaging with the provider as out of pocket costs may apply.
Morphology scan (anatomy scan, 20-week scan)
The morphology scan is a detailed ultrasound performed mid-pregnancy in you second trimester (usually between 18 and 22 weeks) to check the baby’s physical development. It checks for:
- structural anomalies (such as congenital heart conditions or limb differences)
- placental position
- cervical length – this could be measured using internal or external ultrasound and should be discussed with you prior to commencing.
You may choose to learn the baby’s sex during this scan if the baby is in the right position to see.
When
Routinely offered once between 18–22 weeks’ gestation.
What to do next
Your maternity care provider will refer you for this scan. Discuss any preferences (e.g., if you wish to find out your baby’s sex) with the sonographer before the scan. You may not receive the scan results on the day and will return to your maternity care provider to receive these results.
Costs
Most morphology scans are performed in private settings costing between $370–$520. If you have a Medicare card, a rebate is generally available. Public hospital access for morphology scans may be limited. Ask about fees when booking.
Maternal vaccinations
Vaccination during pregnancy helps protect both mother and baby from infectious diseases. This is especially important in the first 6 months after birth. Routine vaccines include influenza, pertussis (whooping cough), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and COVID-19.
When
- Influenza: The influenza vaccine is recommended at any stage during pregnancy. You should discuss the best timing for vaccination with your maternity care provider.
- Pertussis: Every pregnancy, ideally between 20–32 weeks.
- RSV: A single dose every pregnancy, ideally between 28-36 weeks, to protect the newborn baby.
- COVID-19: Discuss your individual circumstances with your maternity care provider to get the most up to date recommendations.
What to do next
Your provider will discuss and offer these vaccines during pregnancy. Partners and close contacts are also encouraged to be vaccinated for flu and whooping cough for additional baby protection. The timings above are a guide of the optimal time to have the vaccinations. If you are outside these timings, but would still like to receive a vaccination, talk to your maternity care provider.
Costs
Vaccines are free if you have a Medicare card or are a refugee or seeking asylum.
Learn more
Maternal vaccinations | Department of Health, Disability and Ageing
Pregnancy & Newborn vaccinations | Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation | SKAI
For trusted information about vaccination during pregnancy, after birth and beyond
Other tests and checks that may be offered
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) for gestational diabetes
View more View lessThe Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) checks for gestational diabetes mellitus (sometimes referred to as GDM) by measuring your blood sugar response after drinking a sugary drink. Gestational diabetes can affect your health and your baby so early detection helps ensure you get the right care to manage the condition.
When
All women are offered an OGTT between 24–28 weeks. In some circumstances an early test may be recommended – your maternity care provider will tell you if this is the case for you.
Repeat testing is recommended 6–12 weeks after birth if you were diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
What to do next
Contact a pathology provider to arrange your OGTT. Some places require a booking while others will take you as a walk-in. It is suggested to complete this test in the morning as you need to be fasting beforehand.
If you are unable to complete this test for any reason, your maternity care provider may offer you an alternative.
Costs
This test is usually covered in public maternity care but check with your provider regarding any out-of-pocket expenses.
Learn more
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening
View more View lessGroup B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common bacteria – 1 in 5 women have GBS in their vagina at the time of birth. You may not experience symptoms or become unwell but 1 in 200 women with GBS will have a baby that develops a severe infection that is passed from mother to baby.
If GBS is detected close to the time of birth, you will be offered antibiotics during labour to reduce the risk of the baby becoming unwell.
When
Screening is typically offered as a vaginal swab between 35–37 weeks. This can be a self-collected swab or your maternity care provider may offer to collect the swab for you.
What to do next
To decide if this screening test is right for you, discuss what it means if you choose not to have the screening, if the test comes back positive or what happens in the event the baby is born before testing can be attended to.
Costs
Screening is usually included in routine pregnancy care. There is usually no additional cost for women who have a Medicare card. Women receiving private care or who do not have a Medicare card should confirm costs of pathology at the time of testing.
Learn more
Anti-D Immunoglobulin
View more View lessYour blood group is made up of 2 parts: a blood type (A, B, AB, O) and a Rhesus factor (Rh) which is either positive or negative. Checking your blood group and Rhesus status is part of routine screening bloods that are taken in early pregnancy. You may have a different blood group than your baby and that’s why mothers with negative blood groups are offered anti-D immunoglobulin, also referred to as Anti-D.
It is uncommon for your blood to mix with your baby’s but, if this happens, your body can make antibodies that attack your baby’s blood cells. These antibodies remain in your blood, even after your baby is born, and could cause problems in a future pregnancy if your next baby has a positive blood group.
To prevent this from happening, if you have a negative blood group, you will be offered an injection of anti D during your pregnancy. It is usually given at 28 and 34 weeks of pregnancy. Your maternity care provider may offer additional doses if you have trauma to your abdomen, you have bleeding during pregnancy or you undergo a procedure like an amniocentesis or CVS (Chorionic Villi Sampling).
Anti-D is made from donated blood and is supplied by the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. It is considered safe and reactions are rare. A test for fetal rhesus screening has become available to predict a baby’s blood group during pregnancy. This may mean that you do not need to receive anti D in pregnancy if the baby also has a negative blood group. This blood test is available from 11 weeks, a Medicare rebate is available, and the results usually take 4 weeks to come back.
Talk to your maternity care provider about the benefits and risks of receiving Anti-D or undergoing fetal rhesus screening.
When
Routine doses are given at 28 and 34 weeks. Additional doses may be offered after certain events (e.g., bleeding, trauma, procedures). After birth, another dose may be needed if the baby’s blood group is positive.
What to do next
If you may need Anti-D injections, your provider will discuss the schedule and ask for consent. You may need to sign a consent form.
Costs
Anti-D is fully covered in public healthcare settings. Private care providers offer access to Anti-D in different ways, and you should confirm their processes and any costs are involved. There are out of pocket costs for the fetal rhesus screening test that should be discussed with the collector before undergoing the test.
Learn more
Pregnancy, anti–D and plasma | Australian Red Cross Lifeblood
Consumer information: Rh D negative blood group and pregnancy
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