How to Book a Midwife on the Isle of Man

1. Self-refer or contact your GP

Since January 2024, the Isle of Man has offered an antenatal self-referral system. You can refer yourself directly for antenatal care through the referral form on the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit page, without needing to visit your GP first. Ideally, refer yourself when you are 6 to 7 weeks pregnant. Once the antenatal team receives your referral, they will send you an appointment for your booking visit.

Alternatively, you can still contact your GP practice, who will organise what is known as shared care — your antenatal care is shared between Noble's Hospital and your GP practice, where you will see a community midwife.

If you are not yet registered with a GP on the island, you can find a practice through gov.im.

2. Your booking appointment (8–10 weeks)

Your first hospital visit is your booking appointment with a midwife, usually at 8 to 10 weeks of pregnancy. There is not routinely a scan at this appointment.

At the booking appointment, the midwife will:

• Check your blood pressure, height, and weight
• Test your urine
• Measure your carbon monoxide level
• Take blood samples for routine screening tests
• Ask about your physical and mental health, including medical history, any operations, and details of any previous pregnancies
• Discuss your care plan and answer your questions

This is a good opportunity to ask about birth options at Noble's Hospital, including water births, pain relief, and your birth plan preferences.

3. Routine ultrasound scans

Routine antenatal care on the Isle of Man funds two scans during pregnancy:

• Dating scan — at around 12 weeks, to confirm your due date and check that the pregnancy is progressing normally
• Anomaly scan — at around 20 weeks, to check your baby's development in detail

Additional scans may be arranged if there are any concerns about you or your baby.

4. Ongoing community midwife care

For most women, antenatal care with community midwives at your GP practice is the most convenient and practical arrangement. You will have regular appointments throughout your pregnancy to monitor your health and your baby's development.

Some women may be seen more regularly at the hospital if their pregnancy requires additional monitoring. Your midwife will discuss your individual care plan with you.

A health visitor appointment is arranged at around 35 weeks of pregnancy. This is set up automatically by Manx Care.

5. The Jane Crookall Maternity Unit

All hospital-based maternity care on the Isle of Man is provided at the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit, located on the 1st floor of the East Wing at Noble's Hospital in Braddan.

The unit is run by Manx Care (since 1 April 2021), the Isle of Man's health and care body. While it operates separately from the UK's NHS, the standard of care follows the same clinical guidelines.

When you go into labour, call the maternity unit first and the staff will advise you on when to come in and which entrance to use.

6. After the birth

A community midwife will visit you the day after you go home from the maternity unit. You will agree a plan of visits together. Community midwives provide care for you and your baby for up to 28 days after birth, including health checks, feeding support, and parenting guidance.

After 28 days, your care transfers to your health visitor.

For a full list of things to prepare before your baby arrives, see our maternity preparation checklist.

How Isle of Man midwifery care differs from the UK

If you have moved to the Isle of Man from the UK, there are a few differences to be aware of:

• Self-referral available since 2024 — the Isle of Man introduced antenatal self-referral in January 2024. You can also still go through your GP if you prefer
• Manx Care, not the NHS — healthcare on the Isle of Man is provided by Manx Care, a separate organisation from the NHS. Clinical standards are equivalent but the administrative systems are different
• One maternity unit — the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit at Noble's Hospital is the only maternity unit on the island, so there is no choice of hospital
• No Statutory Maternity Pay — unlike in the UK, employers on the Isle of Man are not required to pay SMP. Instead, you claim Maternity Allowance from the Isle of Man Government. See our IoM vs UK pregnancy guide for full details

Sources

• Jane Crookall Maternity Unit — gov.im
• Antenatal Clinics and Self-Referral — gov.im
• Children and Families Health Visiting — gov.im
• Doctors — gov.im
• Maternity Allowance — gov.im