• Will you provide all my care during pregnancy, labour and birth and after my baby is born? (this is called full continuity of care)


  • If you do not provide full continuity of care, who else will be involved; what parts of my care will someone else provide and will I get an opportunity to meet this midwife/doctor during my pregnancy?
  • Do you work by yourself; in partnership with another LMC; or as part of a group maternity care practice?
  • If I choose you to be my LMC, where can I give birth?
  • Will I have to pay for any of the maternity services I need?
  • Who will provide back-up care if you are not available for any reason and how often do your clients need to be cared for by your back-up because you are not available?
  • Will I have an opportunity to meet the person/s who would provide back-up care during labour and birth and after I’ve given birth if you are not available?
  • How many other women will you provide care for whose babies are due in the same month as mine?
  • Do you take regular time off-call (e.g. weekends?) and are you planning to go on holiday around the time my baby is due to be born?
  • Approximately how many times will I see you during my pregnancy and how much time do you allocate for each pregnancy check-up appointment?
  • Where will I see you for my pregnancy check-up visits?
  • What system do you prefer to use to help me put together a Care Plan?
  • Do you provide care for women planning a homebirth?
  • Are you happy to support women who are interested in waterbirth?
  • You can also ask questions about any potential LMC’s rate of various medical interventions e.g. induction of labour, caesarean section, episiotomy etc.

  • Will you visit me while I’m in the hospital, maternity unit or birth centre after I’ve given birth?
  • Who will visit me and my baby, at home, after I’ve given birth and how many home visits can I expect?
  • If you have any strong beliefs or views about pregnancy and childbirth etc, make sure that your LMC is able to provide care that is compatible with and supports your beliefs.
  • If you have any special needs or requirements (e.g. health, cultural, religious etc) for maternity care, is your LMC able to support and provide for these?
  • If you have decided that you would like an obstetrician to be your LMC you will need to ask about the cost of your care and the payment system so you know when and how much you will be paying.

You can also ask any LMC if s/he participates in an annual professional review or audit process for the maternity services they provide. Who is responsible for this process and what does it involve? If not, why not?

You can change your LMC at any time during your pregnancy etc if you do not feel comfortable with her/him, or if you feel that the LMC you are registered with is not able to provide you with the maternity care you need.

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