Some areas in Cornwall are now offering Pregnancy Circles as an alternative to routine care, if this is an option in your area – your midwife will speak to you about it at or before your first pregnancy appointment at 8-10 weeks. It is always your choice whether you would like to be part of a pregnancy circle or receive routine pregnancy care.
What Are Pregnancy Circles?
In a Pregnancy Circle, instead of having short appointments with a midwife on your own, you have your care and discussion in a small group with people who are due around the same time as you and who live in your area. The sessions will be longer than usual antenatal appointments (2 hours) and you can discuss pregnancy issues with other pregnant people, and the same 2 midwives, throughout your pregnancy.
You also meet once after the birth.
These circles combine clinical care with education and peer support in a relaxed, welcoming environment. They focus on continuity of care, shared learning, and building community, creating a space where you can feel heard and supported throughout pregnancy.
You get the same clinical care and tests offered to all pregnant people and you will see a midwife on your own briefly during every Pregnancy Circle.
You are given all your group dates after your first scan appointment (around 12 weeks) so that you can plan. Each group will decide when partners will be invited to sessions.
Regardless of what you choose, your first appointment is always one to one with a midwife. Pregnancy circle groups begin at 16 weeks.
Benefits of Pregnancy Circles
- Improved Experience: Women report feeling more informed, confident, and connected.
- Better Outcomes: Research shows group antenatal care can improve satisfaction and engagement.
- Peer Support: Sharing experiences reduces isolation and promotes emotional wellbeing.
We have created a comparison of pregnancy circles with routine care so you can make an informed decision.
| Pregnancy Circles | Routine Care |
|---|---|
| 9- 2-hour sessions | 6-8 30-minute appointments |
| 18 hours of midwife time | 3-4 hours of midwife time |
| Receive all your appointments dates at 10-12 weeks for your entire pregnancy | Appointments arranged following your previous appointment – a couple of weeks in advance. |
| Antenatal Classes combined with your midwife check, comprehensive preparation for birth and life with a newborn | Self-directed antenatal education, option to attend a birth plan/baby care group and watch bitesize online antenatal education videos |
| 121 time with midwife for personal questions | 121 time with midwife for personal questions |
| WhatsApp group to build a community and share resources | Meet other people opportunistically |
| Meet other professionals during your sessions – health visitor, healthy Cornwall, breastfeeding peer support worker, parenting worker | Meet health visitor for one off in later pregnancy. Could attend breastfeeding peer support group in your own time. |
| Postnatal reunion for discharge from the midwives – meet each other’s babies and share birth stories. | Individual discharge from midwifery care. |
| Your partner/a support person can attend your first midwife appointment (booking) and 12/20 week scans, you then attend the first pregnancy circle session alone at 16 weeks and the group decide how much they would like partners and support people to attend subsequent groups – most groups are open to partners attending as they wish or would like us to suggest which groups are most relevant for partners due to work commitments. | We ask you to attend at least one appointment in pregnancy alone, other than this your partner is able to attend as much as they are able. |
| Children are unable to attend pregnancy circles. | Children can accompany you to appointments |
If you are employed your employer is legally obliged to allow you to have paid time off to attend antenatal appointments and classes as recommended by a midwife – employers are usually supportive of pregnancy circles and your midwife can help with approaching your employer regarding this.