Pregnancy guides: care, symptoms and warning signs

What usually happens at each stage, what’s safe to eat and take, and which symptoms mean calling your midwife or maternity unit now.

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4 min read After a positive test: the first weeks How to arrange pregnancy care, prepare for your first appointment and get help with early symptoms. Early symptoms vary; you may not have all of them.
4 min read Alcohol, smoking and caffeine in pregnancy Clear advice on alcohol, smoking, vaping and caffeine, with practical support and the differences between UK and US guidance.
4 min read Antenatal care: what's usually offered Compare NHS appointments, tailored US prenatal care and WHO contacts, with practical ways to plan visits and get help between them.
4 min read Common pregnancy discomforts Practical help for heartburn, constipation, piles, aches, cramps, swelling and sleep, with signs that need prompt care. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Food safety in pregnancy Which foods need care, why preparation matters, and how UK and US advice differs for cheese, meat, eggs and fish. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Gestational diabetes Who is offered testing, how gestational diabetes is managed, and the follow-up checks to arrange after birth. Gestational diabetes often has no symptoms.
4 min read Labour: signs, stages and when to call Recognise possible labour signs, understand the stages, and know when to call your maternity team without waiting for a timing rule.
4 min read Medicines in pregnancy How to review medicines with a pharmacist or doctor, including the differing advice on paracetamol and acetaminophen. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Mental health in pregnancy Depression, anxiety and fear of childbirth: what support can look like, reviewing medicines, and where to get urgent help.
4 min read Planning for birth: choices to think about Think through where to give birth, pain relief, support and decisions about induction or caesarean birth, while leaving room for change.
4 min read Pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure in pregnancy Why blood pressure and urine checks matter, symptoms needing urgent help, and care during pregnancy and after birth. Includes when to get help.
5 min read Pregnancy and work: your rights in the UK and US General information, not legal advice: antenatal appointments, workplace adjustments, maternity leave, pay and US protections.
4 min read Pregnancy scans and screening tests What scans, blood screening and diagnostic tests look for, how UK and US offers differ, and the choices you can make. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum What can help pregnancy nausea, how severe sickness is treated and when to get help with dehydration. Pregnancy sickness can happen throughout the day or night.
5 min read Pregnancy symptoms that need help Which symptoms need emergency help, an immediate maternity call or advice today, with UK, US and local contact routes. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Staying active in pregnancy How to adapt movement during pregnancy, which activities to avoid, and the warning signs that mean stop and get help. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Unplanned pregnancy: your options Continuing a pregnancy, adoption or abortion: practical next steps, regional access differences and questions about privacy.
4 min read Vaccines in pregnancy Whooping cough, flu, RSV and COVID guidance by region, including recent changes and questions to take to your maternity team.
4 min read Vitamins and supplements in pregnancy Folic acid, vitamin D, iron and iodine: what guidance says, what differs by country and what to check on the label. Includes when to get help.
4 min read Your baby's movements Getting to know your baby’s movement pattern, why changes need an immediate call, and how UK and US advice on counting differs.

Written by the Veya team from the sources listed in each guide. They aren’t medical advice; if you’re worried about a symptom, talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.