Maternal Medicine Service

Our team is made up of:

• Dr Winfield – Obstetrician and Lead Maternal Medicine Consultant
• Dr Pennington – Consultant Obstetrician
• Dr Winton – Consultant Obstetrician
• Olivia Thorpe – Maternal Medicine Specialist Midwife 

We support women with a wide range of medical conditions that may affect pregnancy, including:

• Heart disease 
• Epilepsy 
• Kidney disease 
• Autoimmune disorders 
• Respiratory conditions 
• Complex or multiple medical conditions 
• Haematological disorders 
• Cancer 
• Gastrointestinal disease (such as Crohn’s and Colitis) 
• Liver disease 

Our team works closely with obstetricians, physicians, midwives, and other specialists to provide personalised care tailored to each woman’s needs. Some patients may need referral to our local tertiary centres (Leeds and Sheffield) for advice and/or management. Rarely, it may be advised that you birth your baby in a tertiary centre. 

We believe in delivering:

• Individualised care: Every pregnancy is unique. We create tailored care plans based on your medical history and current health. 
• Multidisciplinary expertise: Our team includes specialists in maternal medicine, obstetrics, anaesthetics, and other relevant fields.
• Continuity of care: We aim to provide consistent support throughout your pregnancy.
• Clear communication: We ensure you are fully informed and involved in all decisions about your care.

We offer:

• pre-pregnancy counselling and planning
• specialist midwife to care for you throughout your journey 
• specialist antenatal clinics 
• joint clinics with medical specialists (such as Joint Epilepsy clinic)
• individualised birth planning with your input
• postnatal follow-up and support as required 

Pre-pregnancy advice
If you have an existing medical condition and are planning a pregnancy, we recommend seeking advice before conception. Early planning can help optimise your health and reduce risks during pregnancy. This is so far a limited service that we offer but we aim to see as many patients as we can for pre-pregnancy advice. Immediate advice can be found here.

Please speak to your GP or specialist doctor to request a referral to our service.

During your pregnancy

During your pregnancy you may be referred to the Maternal Medicine Service by:

• Your midwife
• GP
• Obstetrician
• Hospital specialist (for example, a consultant who cares for your long-term medical condition such as a rheumatologist or haematologist). 

We will work alongside your community midwife team to ensure coordinated care.

Your appointments may include:

• detailed medical assessments
• ultrasound scans 
• blood tests, blood pressure and urine sampling 
• consultations with specialist doctors 

Some clinics may be held at different hospital sites across Mid Yorkshire. You will be informed in advance of where to attend. If you have been asked to attend a site that is not your closest hospital, this is likely due to capacity. 

Healthcare professionals can refer patients via:

• Electronic referral systems (via Badger Net)
• Direct consultant referral
• GP referral pathways

Please include full medical history and relevant investigation results where possible.

If you are a patient and you think you may have a maternal medicine condition, please ask your community midwife and if required they can send us a referral. If you would like to get in touch for pre-pregnancy counselling, please ask your specialist doctor or GP.

For general enquiries, appointment information, or support, please email: midyorks.maternalmedicine@nhs.net (for non-urgent referrals).

Urgent referrals should be made via the Obstetric Registrar on call, contacted through Switchboard.

For urgent concerns, please contact your maternity triage service or attend your nearest hospital.