ABC of antenatal care. Normal antenatal management.

Antenatal care in the 1990s has six functions (box). The first two are the same as any performed in an outpatient clinic (treatment of symptoms); the second two relate to multiphasic screening of which antenatal care was an early example; and the third pair are part of health education. Antenatal care in the United Kingdom is performed by a range of professionals-midwives, general practitioners, and hospital doctors. In many areas up to 70% of antenatal care is in the hands of general practitioners and community midwives. In some parts of the country midwives hold their own clinics outside the hospital.