Maternity and neonatal

You're pregnant - what happens now?

If you're ready to register with maternity services, contact one of our community maternity teams in Highland or in Argyll and Bute.

If you're unsure about continuing with your pregnancy, for help and advice see our Unplanned pregnancy information.

About maternity and neonatal care at NHS Highland

Our staff are committed to working in partnership with you to provide you and your family with a safe, friendly, and effective service. We aim to deliver high quality maternity and neonatal care for all women and their families during pregnancy, labour and after the birth of your baby.

A named midwife will support you through your pregnancy. She will co-ordinate your care and explain all of your options for care and birth choices to you. Finding a midwife to help you through your pregnancy is easy. If you know you are pregnant, visit your GP practice and ask for an appointment with a midwife or you can refer yourselves directly to our maternity services.

You may find information in these sections useful when talking with your midwife at your booking appointment, which usually takes place around eight weeks into your pregnancy. It can help support any choices and decisions regarding your pregnancy in the beginning.

See also:

• Maternity and neonatal service redesign - within NHS Highland, including:
  • Maternity Collaborative newsletters - NHS Highland and NHS Grampian
  • Privacy notice for mothers - Moray Collaborative (pdf, April 2025)
• The best start: a five-year forward plan for the improvement of maternity and neonatal services in Scotland - from Scottish Government
• Neonatal Units in Scotland - from the Scottish Perinatal Network - useful information if your baby is receiving care in a neonatal unit or moving to a different unit or PICU in Scotland