For information on Covid-19, see our Q&As for pregnant women and their families.
Our patient information resources are based on evidence from up-to-date guidance for doctors, but are written in a way which is easy for everyone to understand.
Many of our resources cover specific gynaecological conditions or procedures, as well as conditions or situations that can occur during pregnancy and birth.
If you are looking for more general information on pregnancy and birth, please see:
- NHS information on trying for a baby, pregnancy and birth
- Birthrights information about your rights during pregnancy and birth
- Tommy’s PregnancyHub
- NICE guidance, advice and quality standards on pregnancy
Click here to view translated patient information
Browse our patient information
In this section
- Abdominal hysterectomy – recovering well
- Abortion care
- About RCOG guidelines and parallel information for the public
- Acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID): tests and treatment
- Air travel and pregnancy
- Alcohol and pregnancy
- Amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling
- Antenatal care for uncomplicated pregnancies
- Assisted vaginal birth (ventouse or forceps)
- Being overweight in pregnancy and after birth
- Beta thalassaemia and pregnancy
- Birth after previous caesarean
- Bleeding and/or pain in early pregnancy
- Blood transfusion, pregnancy and birth
- Breech baby at the end of pregnancy
- Care of a third- or fourth-degree tear that occurred during childbirth (also known as obstetric anal sphincter injury OASI)
- Cervical smears and pregnancy
- Cervical stitch
- Chickenpox and pregnancy
- Considering a caesarean birth
- Cord blood banking
- Corticosteroids in pregnancy to reduce complications from being born prematurely
- COVID-19 and Pregnancy
- Diagnosis and treatment of venous thrombosis in pregnancy and after birth
- Early miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy patient information
- Endometrial ablation – recovering well
- Endometriosis
- Epilepsy in pregnancy
- Female genital mutilation (FGM)
- Genital herpes in pregnancy
- Gestational diabetes
- Molar pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic disease
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy and newborn babies
- Having a small baby
- Healthy eating and vitamin supplements in pregnancy
- Heavy bleeding after birth (postpartum haemorrhage)
- HIV and pregnancy
- Induction of labour: information for the public
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy – recovering well
- Laparoscopy – recovering well
- Large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ)
- Long-term pelvic pain
- Malaria and pregnancy
- Managing premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Menopause: diagnosis and management
- Mid-urethral sling operation for stress urinary incontinence – recovering well
- Morcellation for myomectomy or hysterectomy
- Multiple pregnancy: having more than one baby
- Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
- Outpatient hysteroscopy
- Ovarian cancer
- Ovarian cysts before the menopause
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
- Pelvic floor repair operation – recovering well
- Pelvic girdle pain and pregnancy
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Perineal tears during childbirth – patient information poster
- Physical activity and pregnancy
- Placenta praevia, placenta accreta and vasa praevia
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): what it means for your long-term health
- Postmenopausal bleeding – Poster
- Pre-eclampsia
- Pregnancy and breast cancer
- Pregnancy sickness (nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum)
- Premature labour
- Recovering from surgical management of a miscarriage
- Recovering well from gynaecological procedures
- Recurrent miscarriage
- Reducing the risk of venous thrombosis in pregnancy and after birth
- Revalidation: How do I know my doctor is up to date?
- Shoulder dystocia
- Sickle cell disease and pregnancy
- Skin conditions of the vulva
- Smoking and pregnancy
- Sterilisation for women and men
- Surgery for stress incontinence
- Treatment for symptoms of the menopause
- Umbilical cord prolapse in late pregnancy
- Understanding how risk is discussed in health care
- Vaginal hysterectomy – recovering well
- When your baby dies before birth
- When your waters break prematurely
- Your baby's movements in pregnancy
- Patient information for consultation
Access a range of resources about menopause and women's health in later life.
Our patient information is developed by the RCOG’s Patient Information Committee, made up of obstetricians and gynaecologists, midwives, and members of the RCOG Women’s Network.
All patient information resources are reviewed every three years, or before that time if clinical guidance on which they are based changes. You can read more on the development process here.