Quick answer: The 6-week postnatal check is the only formal medical review most women receive after birth.
The 6-week postnatal check is the only formal medical review most women receive after birth. It’s often brief — sometimes as short as 10 minutes — and it’s your opportunity to raise anything that hasn’t resolved or that’s concerning you. Being prepared makes it significantly more useful.
What the Check Should Include
The NICE (UK) and ACOG (US) guidelines specify what the 6-week postnatal check should cover: Physical review: Blood pressure (particularly important if you had hypertension or preeclampsia in pregnancy); urine dipstick (screen for protein and infection); perineal healing review (if you had a tear or episiotomy); abdominal examination (particularly caesarean wound check); weight; and brief cardiovascular assessment. Mental health screening: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) — 10 questions that screen for depression and anxiety — should be administered at the 6-week check. Ask specifically if this isn’t offered. Contraception discussion: What options are appropriate given your feeding choices and health history. Baby review: In many practices, this is the same appointment as the baby’s 6-week check — growth and development review, vaccinations discussion.
What Often Gets Missed
Research consistently shows that the 6-week check fails to identify significant postpartum conditions. Common omissions: EPDS is administered inconsistently — in some practices it isn’t used at all; pelvic floor assessment rarely happens unless you raise specific symptoms; diastasis recti is virtually never checked; anaemia from birth blood loss isn’t always rechecked; thyroid function (postpartum thyroiditis affects 5–10% of women and peaks at 3–6 months) isn’t routinely screened. The practical advice: don’t assume these will be covered — raise them explicitly if relevant to your situation.
Preparing for the Appointment
Write down your questions before the appointment — not to hand to the doctor, but to ensure you cover them in what may be a short window. Common things worth raising: perineal or abdominal discomfort that hasn’t resolved; leaking urine, difficulty controlling wind or bowel movements, or any pelvic floor symptoms; persistent low mood, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or feeling ‘not yourself’; ongoing or new pain (headaches, joint pain, back pain) that’s affecting functioning; hair loss (worth checking ferritin and thyroid); fatigue disproportionate to your sleep level (worth checking haemoglobin and ferritin); and questions about returning to sex, contraception, or exercise.
Your Rights at This Appointment
You are entitled to: a private space to discuss sensitive topics; a female GP if you’d prefer one (request in advance); adequate time for your concerns — if the appointment feels rushed, it’s appropriate to ask for a longer appointment or a follow-up; referral to a specialist (physiotherapist, mental health service, gynaecologist) if your symptoms warrant it; and honest answers. You don’t have to say you’re ‘fine’ when you’re not. Many women minimise their symptoms at the 6-week check for fear of ‘making a fuss’ — this is the one appointment designed specifically for this purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should happen if I had PND or depression flagged at the 6-week check?
Your GP should follow up with you in 2–4 weeks (not leave you to contact them), discuss treatment options including therapy and medication, and consider referral to the perinatal mental health team for anything moderate or severe. If this doesn’t happen, contact your surgery and ask for follow-up.
My 6-week check felt rushed and nothing was covered properly — what can I do?
Book a separate longer appointment to address specific concerns. In the UK, you’re entitled to book a 20-minute appointment for complex issues. In the US, you may need to advocate more directly — contact your obstetrician or midwife’s office and specify the issues you want addressed. Postnatal care is not a luxury; it’s medical care you’re entitled to.
Is the 6-week check the same as being medically cleared for exercise and sex?
No — the 6-week check is a review appointment, not an automatic clearance. Exercise return should be guided by your specific recovery (caesarean vs vaginal birth, tear severity, diastasis recti, pelvic floor function) rather than a calendar date. Sex return should be guided by your healing, comfort, and readiness — not a tick box.
Related Reading
- Postpartum recovery: week-by-week what to expect physically
- Perineal tear recovery: stitches, healing and returning to normal
- Pelvic floor exercises after birth: complete guide
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