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• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 58 >> Her GP assumed she was happy to be pregnant, so it was difficult to discuss her anxieties.

First pregnancy, unplanned. Does not feel she has been well enough informed and supported in choosing a hospital to have her baby. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 27.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> She did not rush to make an appointment with her GP. With hindsight more information would have been useful. (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 25-30 >> Interview 10 >> She valued regular appointments with her midwives and the reassurance and information they gave her.

Unplanned but otherwise straightforward pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia and induction. Difficult labour without pain relief. Episiotomy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 10 >> Especially in a first pregnancy women need a lot of advice and reassurance, but she did not want to bother the midwives between appointments.

Unplanned but otherwise straightforward pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia and induction. Difficult labour without pain relief. Episiotomy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 12 >> A mix-up in arranging her booking visit meant they had little time to discuss screening choices.

Normal first pregnancy. Premature labour and birth at 33 weeks. Had to transfer to another hospital because no neonatal intensive care places were available locally.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 15 >> The care and attention from the midwives was brilliant, especially from one who did her booking visit and was present at the birth.

Confusion in early stages of pregnancy about whether or not it was viable. Unexplained abdominal pain. Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (pelvic pain) in latter stages.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 13 >> She preferred one midwife who took time to explain things in a way she could understand. (Played by an actor.)

Young, single mother. Pregnancy unplanned. Well supported by family. Had Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (pelvic pain) and cholestasis (liver problem) during pregnancy.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 29 >> As a Muslim, she feels more comfortable being seen by a female member of staff. (Audio clip in Punjabi)

Recently married woman from Pakistan in her first pregnancy. Would like more information and advice in her own language.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 04 >> She expected more reaction from the midwife to the news she was pregnant. More informal contact during the early weeks would have been reassuring.

Normal pregnancy. Breech presentation resolved through successful ECV. Induction at 42 weeks. Forceps delivery. Difficulty with breastfeeding. Importance of managing expectations of pregnancy and birth realistically.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 20 >> Her midwife was so busy it was difficult to book appointments in the last few weeks of pregnancy when she would have liked more reassurance. (Read by

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 06 >> Professionals do not always realise what an effect their words have on people. There was little continuity of care at the hospital antenatal clinic.

First pregnancy through ICSI IVF. Experienced hyper ovarian stimulation. Induced at 42 weeks with birth by emergency section. Second pregnancy occurred naturally 7 months after birth of first child.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 25-30 >> Interview 24 >> She chose to employ an independent midwife. Continuity of care and trust were important to her.

Became pregnant in a another country where care philosophy was very interventionist. Returned to UK at 7 months and had a successful home birth with an independent midwife.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 55 >> Continuity of care is fine if you feel comfortable with your midwife, but she did not find her midwife very supportive of her wishes.

Persuaded to have induction in first pregnancy; felt unsupported by staff. Labour was long and painful. Second birth, refused induction, insisted on additional checks instead. A better experience, with a doula (birthing attendant). More of this interview can be seen on the DIPEX antenatal screening site as Interview 02.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 45 >> She would have liked more opportunity to talk to staff in the early weeks and needed reassurance about the risk of miscarriage.

normal first pregnancy, private care throughout. Experienced a lot of sickness. Planning a hospital birth with as little intervention as possible. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 08.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 25 >> She never felt professionals really understood how bad the vomiting was, even when she asked for help.

First and most recent pregnancy ended in miscarriage. Two normal pregnancies in between, with severe sickness both times. Good support from Early Pregnancy Unit.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 37-39 >> Interview 02 >> Shared care between her midwife and a specialist unit for complex pregnancies has been excellent. (Her spleen was removed in childhood.)

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 >> She was tested for gestational diabetes, which made her very anxious for a while. The results were normal.

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 >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 44 >> The first GP they saw explained the risk of early miscarriage very bluntly.

4 months pregnant. Some nausea and cramping in early pregnancy. Plans for a hospital birth. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 05.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 33 >> She was surprised the GP did not do another pregnancy test and told her to come back at 10 weeks.

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 >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 56 >> She had an excellent midwife who supported her in making informed choices about her own care.

Two normal pregnancies. Felt well supported by midwives in making birthing choices. First birth was a water birth in hospital; hopes to have the same for second birth. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 25.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 34-36 >> Interview 14 >> During pregnancy she had a streptococcal infection, so she had to have intravenous antibiotics during labour.

Required treatment for thrombophilia and a streptococcal infection but pregnancy otherwise normal. Labour involved more intervention than she had wanted.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 34-36 >> Interview 14 >> She needed daily injections of heparin during pregnancy because of a blood clotting disorder.

Required treatment for thrombophilia and a streptococcal infection but pregnancy otherwise normal. Labour involved more intervention than she had wanted.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Age 31-33 >> Interview 56 >> She went to the GP thinking she was 8 weeks pregnant and discovered she had not understood how to work out her due date.

Two normal pregnancies. Felt well supported by midwives in making birthing choices. First birth was a water birth in hospital; hopes to have the same for second birth. More of this interview can be seen on the Healthtalkonline antenatal screening site as Interview 25.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 17 >> She was upset that the midwife at the booking visit assumed she might want a termination because she was young and single.

Single mother of two. First child born by emergency caesarean, second by elective caesarean. Faced unhelpful assumptions because she was young and single.

• Pregnancy & children >> Pregnancy >> Aged 24 & under >> Interview 17 >> She felt the midwife was judging her ability to be a good mother and never felt comfortable with her.

Single mother of two. First child born by emergency caesarean, second by elective caesarean. Faced unhelpful assumptions because she was young and single.