Maternity and obstetrics @ Imperial College Healthcare

Our maternity and obstetrics service provides care for women and babies throughout pregnancy, labour, and the postnatal period, usually through about 10 days after birth. We take pride in providing personalised, supportive services for all of our patients, whether your pregnancy is straightforward or highly complex.

Our most recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission, published July 2019, rated our maternity service at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and St Mary’s hospitals as ‘outstanding’, the first such rating for a maternity service in London.

Self-refer to our service

It is important to start your antenatal care early in your pregnancy, as soon as you find out you are pregnant. Find out how you can self-refer to our service.

SELF-REFER NOW

Sub specialties

• Antenatal care
• Labour and birth
• Maternity ultrasound
• Perinatal mental health
• Postnatal care
• Pre-pregnancy counselling
• Sunflower clinics

Care and resources

Our network of community midwives offers care close to home through several “midwifery group practices” across north west London for initial bookings and most subsequent antenatal appointments. Click here to learn more about our community clinics.

If you require more complex care due to one or more medical disorders, or if your pregnancy is deemed high-risk, you will be referred to one of our consultant-led specialist services.

Our maternity helpline is available from 10.00 to 17.30 Monday through Friday and is operated by experienced midwives. This has been developed to provide women and their families with direct and easy access to maternity-related information.

Phone: 020 3312 6135

If you are planning to have your baby with us and you think you are in labour, please call the appropriate triage line as soon as possible.

Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital: 020 3313 4240
St Mary’s Hospital: 020 3312 5814

Learn more about what will happen and what to do when you are in labour.

Where to have your baby

We offer several options to women who choose our maternity and obstetrics service. We offer most of the same services at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and at St Mary’s hospitals, so you can choose the location that is most convenient. You can work with your midwife and/or consultant to determine the most appropriate place for you to give birth: at home, at our birth centres, or on our labour wards. Your care will be safe, supportive and personalised in all of these locations.

We also offer a private maternity service in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital and at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital. For further information please visit our private healthcare website.

North west London mum and baby app

The free north west London mum & baby app, created by midwives in our area, offers you the chance to explore local maternity services, track your appointments, and keep your care notes all in one place. It is available for download on Apple and Android devices — just search ‘mum & baby’ in your app store.

eRedbook

Your midwife or care team may mention eRedbook to you while you’re in our care. eRedbook is your child’s first digital health record, and it is now available in London. Register for eRedbook to start tracking your pregnancy symptoms and making notes about your child’s health. When your baby is born, you’ll be able to use eRedbook to receive copies of your child’s health review, screening and immunisation records. Visit the website to learn more and register.

Additional information

Imperial Private Healthcare

We offer private maternity services at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital, and all profits are reinvested in NHS and private services at the Trust. Visit the Imperial Private Healthcare website for details. We also offer private room upgrades for NHS patients – please speak to the maternity team for further information.

Our history and research

Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital is the oldest maternity hospital in the UK and is internationally renowned for its excellence in the care of women with complex medical and obstetric problems. It is also home to the oldest operating milk bank in the world. In addition, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea is home to the Women’s Health Research Centre, which is dedicated to improving the health outcomes of women and their babies.