Current Guidelines

Current Guidance and Standards

The clinical guidance midwives use every day, organised by issuer. We check these links each quarter.

Current Libraries

• NICE: browse all published guidance
• RCOG: browse all guidance (Green-top guidelines and consent advice)
• NHS England: maternity and neonatal transformation
• Healthcare Improvement Scotland: Maternity Care Standards (March 2026) – the national standards NHS boards in Scotland must meet, including continuity of carer – useful UK-wide benchmarking

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)

• NG201 – Antenatal care – routine antenatal care – the framework for midwife-led care
• NG235 – Intrapartum care – the latest version of the guideline covering care during labour and immediately after birth
• NG126 – Ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage: diagnosis and initial management – updated August 2023
• NG195 – Neonatal infection: antibiotics for prevention and treatment – updated March 2024
• NG25 – Preterm labour and birth – updated June 2022
• NG4 – Safe midwifery staffing for maternity settings – February 2015
• QS22 – Antenatal care quality standard – updated April 2023
• QS109 – Diabetes in pregnancy quality standard – updated January 2023
• QS98 – Maternal and child nutrition quality standard – July 2015
• QS105 – Intrapartum care quality standard – February 2017
• QS115 – Antenatal and postnatal mental health quality standard – February 2016
• DG49 – PLGF-based testing to help diagnose suspected pre-eclampsia – July 2022
• TA156 – Routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis for rhesus D negative expectant parents – August 2008

RCOG (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists)

Patient information leaflets:

• Your baby’s movements in pregnancy – February 2019
• Epilepsy in pregnancy – November 2020

Green-top guidelines – (safety-critical first):

• Care of Late Intrauterine Fetal Death and Stillbirth (GTG 55) – reviewed October 2024
• Identification and management of maternal sepsis (GTG 64) – December 2024
• Small-for-Gestational-Age Fetus, Investigation and Management (GTG 31) – reviewed May 2024
• Reduced Fetal Movements (GTG 57) – February 2011
• Non-invasive Prenatal Testing (GTG 74) – reviewed June 2025
• Maternal Collapse in Pregnancy and the Puerperium (GTG 56) – reviewed December 2024
• Antepartum Haemorrhage (GTG 63) – December 2011
• Postpartum Haemorrhage, Prevention and Management (GTG 52) – December 2016
• Shoulder Dystocia (GTG 42) – March 2012
• Umbilical Cord Prolapse (GTG 50) – November 2014
• Suspected Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes from 24+0 weeks (GTG 73) – June 2019
• Assisted Vaginal Birth (GTG 26) – April 2020
• Birth after Previous Caesarean Birth (GTG 45) – October 2015
• External Cephalic Version and Reducing Term Breech Presentation (GTG 20a) – March 2017
• Management of Breech Presentation (GTG 20b) – March 2017
• Group B Streptococcal Disease, Early-onset (GTG 36) – September 2017
• Obstetric Cholestasis (GTG 43) – August 2022
• Diagnosis and Management of Ectopic Pregnancy (GTG 21) – November 2016
• Placenta Praevia and Placenta Accreta Spectrum (GTG 27a) – September 2018
• Placenta Praevia Diagnosis and Management (GTG 27b) – September 2018
• Management of Monochorionic Twin Pregnancy (GTG 51) – reviewed February 2024
• Care of Women with Obesity in Pregnancy (GTG 72) – November 2018
• Thrombosis and Embolism in Pregnancy: Reducing the Risk (GTG 37a) – April 2015
• Thrombosis and Embolism in Pregnancy: Acute Management (GTG 37b) – April 2015
• Third- and Fourth-degree Perineal Tears, Management (GTG 29) – June 2015
• Recurrent Miscarriage, Investigation and Treatment (GTG 17) – reviewed May 2023
• Epilepsy in Pregnancy (GTG 68) – June 2016
• Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum (GTG 69) – June 2016
• Female Genital Mutilation and its Management (GTG 53) – July 2015
• The Management of Women with Red Cell Antibodies during Pregnancy (GTG 65) – May 2014
• Thalassaemia in Pregnancy, Management of Beta (GTG 66) – March 2014
• Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTG 38) – reviewed September 2022
• Chronic Pelvic Pain, Initial Management (GTG 41) – May 2012
• Management of Bladder Pain Syndrome (GTG 70) – December 2016

Replacements and withdrawals:

• International Evidence-based Guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome 2023 (Monash) – replaces GTG 33
• The 2021 sickle cell disease in pregnancy guideline replaced GTG 61

NHS England

• Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle version 3 – care bundle for reducing perinatal mortality

Other organisations

• Valproate use in women and girls of childbearing years (RCPCH, with RCGP, ABN and RCP) – January 2024
• BCSH guideline on anti-D administration in pregnancy – replaces RCOG GTG 22
• WHO recommendation on antenatal corticosteroids for improving preterm birth outcomes – November 2022
• WHO recommendation on tocolytic therapy for improving preterm birth outcomes – November 2022
• The Lullaby Trust: Safer Sleep for Professionals guide – revised November 2024
• RCN: Managing the disposal of pregnancy remains – May 2024