Why do i only ever see a midwife, not a doctor?

If you’re pregnant in the UK, one of the first things you might notice is that most of your care is provided by a midwife, not a doctor (or obstetrician). For many people, especially those who haven’t experienced UK maternity care before, this can come as a surprise. But there’s a very good reason for it...

In the UK, pregnancy and birth are viewed as normal life events, not medical problems unless of course they become one. That’s why, if your pregnancy is considered low risk, your care will usually be midwife-led.

What does “midwife-led” actually mean?

A midwife-led pregnancy means that your care is primarily provided by a midwife, rather than an obstetrician (doctor). This applies to people who do not have a significant medical conditions and whose pregnancy is progressing normally.

It does not mean:

• You won’t have access to doctors if you need them

• You won’t be closely monitored

• You’ll be left to “get on with it”

It means that the right professional is caring for you at the right time.

Midwives are specialists in normal pregnancy, labour, birth, and postnatal care. Obstetricians are specialists in complications. If complications arise, you will then be cared for by midwives and doctors together.

Midwives are experts in pregnancy and birth

Midwives are far more than “baby catchers”. We are highly trained, regulated healthcare professionals who specialise in caring for women and birthing people from the very beginning of pregnancy through to the postnatal period.

As midwives, we will:

• Complete your antenatal appointments

• Take your blood tests

• Arrange and perform your scans

• See you in triage for concerns such as reduced fetal movements, bleeding, or pain

• Assess and diagnose labour

• Care for you throughout labour and birth

• Counsel you on the risks and benefits of interventions so you can make informed choices

• Support you physically and emotionally during one of the biggest moments of your life

• Deliver your baby

• Perform an episiotomy only if absolutely necessary

• Repair your perineum with stitches when needed

• Provide postnatal care for you and your baby

• Support you with feeding, whether breast or formula

• Monitor your baby’s weight and wellbeing

• Carry out your baby’s newborn blood spot screening

• Identify and arrange urgent treatment for things like jaundice

• And finally, discharge you safely with ongoing community support

All while keeping both you and your baby at the centre of care.

Why this approach works so well

Evidence consistently shows that midwife-led care for low-risk pregnancies leads to:

• Fewer unnecessary interventions

• Lower rates of caesarean section

• Better continuity of care

• Higher satisfaction for parents

Midwives are trained to recognise when something is not normal and to act quickly. Safety is always the priority — and midwife-led care is a key part of how the UK achieves excellent maternity outcomes.

Busy? Yassss. Passionate? Absolutely.

When you look at it all written down, it’s a lot!

But it’s our privilege to care for you, to support you, advocate for you, and guide you safely from the very first appointment through to meeting your baby and beyond.

And the best bit is...

You keep coming back to us, through future pregnancies, postnatal visits, and growing families. Watching that journey unfold is one of the greatest joys of being a midwife.

Midwife-led care isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what’s right — for you, your baby, and your birth.