The Antenatal & Newborn Screening (ANNBS) department is a specialised service that offers women and their family's support through pregnancy and the antenatal screening pathways, for example when a congenital or genetic condition might be suspected or diagnosed.
Support may be in terms of giving advice and/or counselling to aid decision making. It may be supporting women through diagnostic procedures for example amniocentesis, or signposting women and their families to further sources of advice and support. Often we make referrals to other hospitals that may specialise in specific conditions for further assessment.
We work closely with the obstetric consultants that have a special interest in fetal medicine, we have three of these specialised clinics a week where we can offer prenatal diagnosis tests for example amniocentesis, along with specialist advice, further ultrasound assessment and diagnosis.
The nature of our work also means liaising closely with departments such as ultrasound, genetics, paediatrics, community midwives and the specialist bereavement midwives.
We provide support for women and their families through what can be a very stressful and traumatic time. Our aim is to make the process as smooth as possible, with choices and decisions made in line with women and their family's values and beliefs. We are available to any woman who wishes to discuss her screening options and/or results, and can be used as a resource by women and staff who wish to learn and understand more about screening in pregnancy.
In addition to ANNB screening, the department also facilitates the antenatal vaccination programme. The immunisation nurses offer the recommended Pertussis & Flu (in season) to women when they attend for their dating and 20 week scans. They also offer BCG vaccinations for eligible babies either before discharge or later in the BCG clinic.