First midwife appointment, NHS records

[zme94]

I'm pregnant with my first and have my first midwife appointment next week. She has asked me to find out family history in regards to medical conditions etc..

We've sent a message in the family group chat asking about anything we should be aware of and my BIL has said they can just all send their NHS numbers and the midwife can look it up - is this correct? I would have thought there are some confidentially issues regarding this?

Regardless of confidentiality I doubt any midwife has the time to look all that up!
Surely you have a rough idea of your family’s medical history?? I don’t think there’s even any need for a group message.

I don't think a midwife could do it with just the NHS number and your word. They also won't want to go through records. What they want to know about is history of things like diabetes, early stroke, heart conditions and genetic conditions. If you get asked and you don't know you can always ask family after and then tell your midwife.

That’s not true. It’s a lovely idea that all NHS trusts share a common patient record system which could be accessed both in the community and in hospital, but unfortunately it’s not like that.

Even if such a system existed, you wouldn’t be able to just look at people’s files without permission and I would also hazard a guess that the midwife wouldn’t have time to comb through every new patient’s extended families’ files.

No she wouldn't be able to do it as she wouldn't have their consent (only your word for it) and also all nhs systems aren't linked. Eg I work in mental health but I couldn't access anyone's records unless they had been in contact with my particular Trust. If only the NHS were that joined up!!
They just ask things like history of mental illness, cancer etc, things you will probably know

There aren’t any centralised records, so unless everyone in your family had had all their medical care in the same trust as you’re having your antenatal care, she wouldn’t be able to find the information. Added to the fact she probably wouldn’t have the time. And your BIL might be fine with it, but other family members might not like the idea of a stranger going through their records anyway!

Don’t worry too much. They are most interested in whether anyone blood related to the baby, so your immediate family and your partners, have any conditions that they need to be aware of. Heart disease, congenital conditions, diabetes. It will be fine.

Don’t worry about it. I think you’d be aware of anything serious in your immediate family without needing the group message! I don’t know my biological father so couldn’t answer some of the questions but I was never asked to go researching.

You only need to know if your parents or your dp parents and both sets of siblings have any issues which could affect your baby.

I’m sure you’d know if there was diabetes, dwarfism or twins in either side.

This is completely incorrect. Not all GP and hospital systems talk to each other, and even if they did it the midwife couldn't just access the notes of a patient she isn't treating without explicit and written consent from each person.

I suspect this entitled mentality plays a part in why the NHS is on its knees, patients now expect staff to do everything for them - including sourcing their own medical records - and don't realise the huge waste of admin and clinical resources that this creates

I had to check with my mum as I knew she jas some thyroid issue but couldn't remember if it was hyper or hypo. Everything else I knew and it was all on a form I was asked to complete prior to the appointment so I could check anything I was unsure about.

Only other thing was I was asked if I knew my own birth weight which I didn't but they wanted to note that if I had known it.

Your midwife won't have time to do that and it's probably not even possible. Just ask both sets of parents of any relevant health issues, and if you have any sisters who have been pregnant ask them too. It won't be a full run down of your whole family.

Think diabetes, prone to clot/DVT, blood pressure issues, birth abnormalities etc

Preclampsia, unexplained late miscarriages, heart issues, diabetes, clotting disorders, thyroid issues are the main issues. If you don’t know many mw may assume you have a family history so they can get you in front of a consultant for further checks; but depends on your other risk factors.

My midwife was only interested in my parents and siblings and the same for the baby's father. I wouldn't worry too much about extended family
And as PP have stated the midwife wouldn't have the time nor the permission to look at other patients files