Midwife confidentiality?

[scruffpom]

I'm not sure if I'm just being paranoid..probably! Anyway my sister is pregnant and a couple of months ahead of me. I'm only just 5 weeks and have my 7 week appointment soon. The midwife knows our family and I'm worried she might accidentally let it slip that she's also seeing me!
I know my sister would go straight to my Mum... probably to complain because she won't like any attention being off of her.
There's nothing I can do is there, other than wait and see?! I'm not ready to tell anyone yet.
Thanks in advance

I think it would be highly unprofessional of her to mention anything! My midwife said if she saw me in the street she wouldn’t say anything in case people connected the dots. I’m sure any medical professional has to follow confidentiality

Talk to her about it, emphasise how important it is to not tell any one until 12/14/16 weeks including your sister. Just in case.

Agree with pp, they should not tell anyone. If it was me I'd maybe mention at the booking in appointment that you are aware she knows some of your family, but you haven't told any of them yet. But I am pretty certain that it would be a big no-no for for to tell anyone, and if she did you'd be within your rights to make a formal complaint against her.

It would be extremely unprofessional of her to say anything but to put your mind at ease I'd just mention that you aren't telling any family/friends until xx weeks.

Nhs has very strict confidentiality guidelines. It would be highly inappropriate for her to mention anything to anyone. Tell her your worries if it puts your mind at ease

I don't think she would as others have said it would be highly unprofessional.

I second what sausageroll has said. I'm sure she wouldn't say anything, but you've got nothing to lose by making absolutely sure she knows you're not ready to share your news yet. Congratulations!

It would be a massive violation and a potentially sackable offence for her to say anything. HCPs deal with these situations (and much more complex ones) all the time, I doubt she'll say anything.

She wouldn't but mention it at your appointment if you're worried and she'll put your mind at rest

In my role of be required to inform management if i knew a family I was allocated to, and they would reallocate. I'd have thought this should be the case with midwives as well. For instance, when they're expected ask you quite personal questions like have you had SS involvement previously, has there been any domestic abuse in your relationship etc, it seems a little strange.

All midwives have a confidentiality clause and are bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, if she says anything it's breaching her code of conduct and she's in serious trouble if you report her. Although by that point the damage will already have been done so maybe just worth telling her you don't want anyone knowing yet x

Thanks everyone for your replies! I definitely feel more relaxed about it now. I will just mention that I'm not telling anyone before 12 weeks including family and hopefully it will be fine. She's an amazing midwife so I'm hoping she won't! Thanks again x

I doubt your midwife would say anything. She probably sees so many she may not realise you are related

newdaylight in some areas though that would be virtually impossible to actually co-ordinate. In my rural area there are 2 midwives covering all the villages and both have been there years. They therefore ‘know’ all of the families in most of the villages well enough to know who is related to who etc just through general osmosis of village life and being involved in most families for antenatal /postnatal care.

OP I had the same concern with my SIL but for slightly different reasons, our midwives only have appointments one half day a week so it’s quite common to bump into people you know who are also pregnant. I was certain that I would bump into SIL for my booking appointment for DC2 but we missed each other by minutes. I wouldn’t have minded SIL knowing but she would have told MIL who would have told The Rest Of The World.