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• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 07 >> In the first months of pregnancy she felt completely exhausted and needed lots of sleep. (Read by an actor.)

Unplanned pregnancy after graduating from university. Supported by partner but felt a lack of institutional support for young, unmarried women. Looking forward to balancing motherhood with a career.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 27 >> She had heard conflicting advice about drinking alcohol in pregnancy. It can be difficult to know what to believe.

Had problems getting pregnant because of polycystic ovary syndrome. Conceived after taking Clomid; also used acupuncture. Now 16 weeks pregnant, and pregnancy is progressing well.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 37-39 >> Interview 02 >> Evening antenatal classes would be tiring for her and difficult for her partner. They will go to a whole day course.

Normal first pregnancy. Additional scanning and care in specialist unit because of previous splenectomy. Mother has higher susceptibility to illness and infection.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 42 >> They continued to enjoy sex during pregnancy, and it reassured her she was still attractive. They had to stop after a bleed at 31 weeks.

Normal first pregnancy. Gestational diabetes was suspected but ruled out. Had to spend time in hospital late in pregnancy for investigation of bleeding. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 01.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 07 >> Her birth plan was to be as natural as possible but to be open to everything. She got very tired and an epidural really helped. (Read by an actor.)

Unplanned pregnancy after graduating from university. Supported by partner but felt a lack of institutional support for young, unmarried women. Looking forward to balancing motherhood with a career.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 33 >> She needed to avoid getting too exhausted in labour in case it triggered an epileptic seizure. She knew she wanted an epidural.

Mother who has epilepsy, cared for during her first pregnancy by a Special Pregnancy Unit. Developed pre-eclampsia and had induction with epidural at 37 weeks.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 40 + >> Interview 09 >> After a long, tiring labour, she felt calm and relieved making the decision to have a caesarean.

First pregnancy normal, emergency caesarean after long labour. Next two pregnancies ended in early miscarriage. Now pregnant again and planning vaginal birth. (Interviewed again after vaginal birth).

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> She was so exhausted she wanted an emergency caesarean, but wondered if labour might have been easier if she had stayed at home longer. (Read by an ac

Single mother. First pregnancy miscarried. Second pregnancy was normal and straightforward. She planned to have a natural birth, but after a long labour chose to have a caesarean.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> It was demoralising to be told she was only just in established labour when she had been having contractions for thirty hours. (Read by an actor.)

Single mother. First pregnancy miscarried. Second pregnancy was normal and straightforward. She planned to have a natural birth, but after a long labour chose to have a caesarean.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 37-39 >> Interview 30 >> The demands of caring for a small baby make them really tired, but they try to find time to go out together at weekends. (Read by an actor.)

Normal first pregnancy. Found antenatal classes useful, but felt a women-only class might be useful for South Asian women. Chose to have an epidural for the birth.