Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure pregnant women can access an emergency ultrasound scan in NHS hospitals within 24 hours of coming into A&E.

Pregnant women presenting at accident and emergency departments should be assessed and will receive additional care, such as further investigations, which may include an ultrasound scan, where clinical assessment indicates a need.

Only in the context of the mother's presentation relating to concern around health or viability of the foetus would urgent scanning be required. This would be provided in an Early Pregnancy Unit for complications in the first trimester or maternity ultrasound services for complications in later pregnancy.