Your health in pregnancy

This page provides information about foods to avoid, drugs and flu vaccinations in pregnancy.

To learn about Folic acid and vitamin D, foods to avoid, weight gain you can either read the Maternity Service patient information leaflet on this page or visit the NHS Choices pregnancy planner.

Pertussis and flu vaccinations
We offer a pertussis (whooping cough) and flu vaccination service for women when you attend for your anomaly (20 week) scan. Our aim is to increase the uptake of what we call these ‘Very Important Vaccinations’ – or ‘VIV’s for short - by making having the vaccinations convenient and easy for you, with less appointments needed.

The service is based in the Obstetric Ultrasound (scan) Department on the second floor of the yellow corridor, at the back of the left hand waiting area.

At present we are offering pertussis vaccination from 20 weeks gestation and flu vaccination at any time during pregnancy. Information of vaccinations given or declined will be shared with your GP.

If you have already had your 20 week scan, but haven’t yet had your flu or pertussis vaccination, you can drop in during working hours Monday - Friday without an appointment.

Our immunisation nurses, Ife and Atta, will be there to give any further information you require. The friendly nurses have joined us from the Health Visiting service, where they were previously involved in vaccinations for under 5s. 

Medicines in pregnancy
Bumps (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) is provided by the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS). UKTIS is a not-for-profit organisation funded by Public Health England on behalf of the UK Health Departments. UKTIS (previously the National Teratology Information Service, NTIS) has been providing scientific information to health care providers since 1983 on the effects that use of medicines, recreational drugs and chemicals during pregnancy may have on the unborn baby.

The UK Teratology Information Service was one of the first services of this type in the world. It became a founder member of the European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) in 1990.

To learn more visit the Medicines in Pregnancy website