Private Pregnancy Care Statistics: UK 2025

• 82% of High Net Worths who have had a maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care first found clinics on social media. However recommendations from private hospital midwives (9%), friends or family (7%) and private medical insurers are a major source of private clinic discovery
• 57% of HNWs who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their private pregnancy care compared clinics on social media, although consultant credentials will be reviewed online or contacting the clinic directly
• 74% of HNWs who have had consultant-led private pregnancy care considered another private hospital before making their choice such as the Lindo Wing and The Portland Hospital. The choice of hospitals are based on location, facilities, and their consultant’s hospital affiliations
• 29% HNWs said peace of mind was the biggest deciding factor on their private pregnancy care ahead of NHS care followed by better facilities (27%). Private clinics would disagree citing access to personalised, consultant-led care throughout pregnancy as the biggest factor for private pregnancy clinics
• 26% of HNWs say that strong reputation was a major influence in their choice of pregnancy care consultant as specialist expertise (19%) in fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics is a key consideration. However, personal recommendation from friends or family plays a key role in a person’s choice of consultant (20%)
• 56% of HNWs say that past patient stories helped them evaluate their chosen private pregnancy consultant as families typically evaluate consultants through initial consultations, reviewing qualifications and specialist expertise. Reading testimonials (44%) from previous patients and seeking personal recommendations provide valuable insight
• 64% of HNWs received both private maternity scans and consultant-led antenatal care. Every private pregnancy patient receives comprehensive antenatal consultations, routine ultrasound scans throughout pregnancy, and consultant-led delivery care
• 8% of HNWs found guidance from their private pregnancy consultant was helpful in preparing for the birth experience. Other sources such as antenatal classes for practical preparation were found somewhat helpful (46%)
• 48% of HNWs noticed having personalized care and access to a consultant during their admission time in a private pregnancy clinic. Comfortable private rooms, excellent catering, and a calm, well-appointed environment contribute significantly to a private hospital birth experience
• 58% of HNWs who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care agree that their overall experience was positive
• 69% of HNWs would value more time with their private pregnancy consultant for future births as patients increasingly value comprehensive support beyond obstetric care
• 51% of HNWs claim to be based in Leeds despite private pregnancy clinics reporting 71% London based patients, 19% outside London and 10% outside the UK. 75% of private clinics are located in London
• 24% of HNWs are business professionals, however private pregnancy clinics report diverse professional backgrounds across finance, media, business, and other sectors
• What Expectant Mothers Really Value From Consultant-Led Care
• About The Data

82% of High Net Worths who have had a maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care first found clinics on social media. However recommendations from private hospital midwives (9%), friends or family (7%) and private medical insurers are a major source of private clinic discovery.

First options for private pregnancy care are found via different sources:

Pregnancy care is a deeply personal choice, so it’s understandable that people seeking it want the best for their needs. The majority (82%) of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care say they found their first options on social media.

This is a much larger segment than expected, even as more and more people use the internet to discover and share information about their health. According to Skills For Health, more than 40% of people in the UK say that information found via social media affects how they manage their health.

9% of our audience say their first options came from their midwives’ recommendations, suggesting they already had a relationship of trust with those healthcare workers in the early stages of their pregnancies. 7% received recommendations from family or friends, again highlighting the importance of seeking advice from trusted sources, while 2% say they found first options through online searches, and 1% say they used other methods.

Commenting on these opinions, Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director says:

“In our experience there are three main ways that patients discover Dr Chrissie Yu’s private pregnancy care practice; first, through personal recommendations from friends or family who have experienced her care, second from recommendations by private medical insurers and third, from midwives at private hospitals where they intend to give birth. We’re privileged that many patients return for their second, third, or fourth pregnancies, and trusted referrals remain our most valued introduction to new families.”

57% of HNWs who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their private pregnancy care compared clinics on social media, although consultant credentials will be reviewed online or by contacting the clinic directly.

There are different approaches to comparing consultant options:

After finding first options, it’s important to compare consultants to find the right match for you. 57% of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care say social platforms were their main source for comparing consultant options. This suggests these people relied on content published by consultants and on reviews by people who’ve been cared for by them.

15% of our audience also say they used social platforms, although these were a helpful source rather than their main one. Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director comments:

“This is unlikely because expectant parents typically compare private pregnancy care options online away from social media platforms, reviewing consultants’ credentials online or by phone with a consultant’s PA. The majority of Dr Chrissie Yu’s patients arrange initial face to face consultations with different consultants to discuss their individual needs and ensure the right fit for their pregnancy journey.”

As for the rest of our audience, 22% say pregnancy forums were their main source, and another 5% say these were a helpful source for consultant comparisons. This makes sense, as forum members are likely to have had previous experience with some consultants or know of them by reputation. Less than 1% say hospital websites are a helpful source.

74% of HNWs who have had consultant-led private pregnancy care considered another private hospital before making their choice such as the Lindo Wing and The Portland Hospital. The choice of hospitals are based on location, facilities, and their consultant’s hospital affiliations.

Not everyone necessarily thought of going to another private hospital:

Most (74%) of our audience say they thought about turning to another private hospital for consultant-led pregnancy care. This may be because many of these people used social media to find a range of private pregnancy care options and whittled them down to first and second choices.

24% say another private hospital wasn’t really on their list, while the remaining 2% say the Portland Hospital wasn’t really on their list. The Portland Hospital is Britain’s only fully private maternity hospital, and it’s where Victoria Beckham, and other high-profile celebrities have given birth.

While Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director agrees that many high-profile individuals and families often choose the Portland Hospital for private maternity care, he states that:

“Many also consider the Lindo Wing which is the private maternity unit run by Imperial Private Healthcare, located within the NHS-run St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington”.Catherine, Princess of Wales, has given birth here, as have other members of the UK’s Royal Family. He continues “Families considering private maternity care in London typically evaluate the Portland Hospital and the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, both of which are where Dr Yu sees her patients. Patients often choose based on location, facilities, and their consultant’s hospital affiliations. We’re pleased to offer care at two of London’s most respected private maternity units.”

29% HNWs said peace of mind was the biggest deciding factor on their private pregnancy care ahead of NHS care followed by better facilities (27%). Private clinics cite access to personalised, consultant-led care throughout pregnancy as the key selection criteria for HNWs selecting private pregnancy clinics.

Various factors influenced the preference for private pregnancy care instead of NHS care alone:

When deciding on healthcare options, most people take a variety of different factors into consideration. For 29% of our audience, peace of mind was the deciding factor, although a closer look at what they said reveals this was a minor factor for 24% and a strong factor for 5%, while for 7%, it wasn’t a factor at all.

Another significant portion (27%) says the better facilities offered by private pregnancy care were a deciding factor, with this being a strong factor for 5% and a minor factor for 22%. This wasn’t a factor at all for 7%. Both of these audience segments’ reasons are understandable, given the NHS’s dwindling reputation for pregnancy care. According to a Guardian report published in July 2025, the NHS faces an ‘absolutely shocking’ £27 billion bill for maternity failings in England alone.

A smaller segment of our audience made their decision for private pregnancy care out of a desire for continuity with one consultant, with 2% saying this is a strong factor, 9% saying it’s a minor factor, and 6% saying it wasn’t a factor. This suggests these people were satisfied with the care they had received from their consultant and were happy to continue the relationship.

For 1%, more personalised care is a strong factor, although this is only a minor factor for 4%.
This may be based on past experiences with the NHS or on negative perceptions of the service (being seen as a number rather than as a patient). Contrary to these options, in Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director’s experience, consultant-led care is usually the primary reason for people to choose private pregnancy care:

“The most significant factor is access to personalised, consultant-led care throughout pregnancy. Families value continuity of care with the same consultant, flexible appointment scheduling, comprehensive scanning performed by a fetal medicine specialist, and immediate access to their obstetrician. This individualised approach allows us to monitor your pregnancy closely and address your specific medical needs.”

The remaining 2% of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care say faster appointment access was a minor factor in their decision.

26% of HNWs say that strong reputation was a major influence in their choice of pregnancy care consultant as specialist expertise (19%) in fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics is a key consideration. However, a personal recommendation from friends or family plays a key role in a person’s choice of consultant (20%).

The choice of a private pregnancy care consultant was influenced by different factors:

31% of our audience say specialist expertise influenced their choice of private pregnancy care consultant, although this only somewhat influenced 19% and slightly influenced 12%. It wasn’t an influence for 11%. Another 11% say a strong reputation was a major influence, while 15% this somewhat influenced their decision. It’s unsurprising that specialist expertise and a strong reputation influenced the decisions of so many, as both imply that these consultants involve those in their care as much as possible in decision-making, which is an influential factor in pregnancy and maternity care choices around the UK.

According to a 2021 study published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, women who opted for private maternity care reported higher levels of choice and control than those who turned to public pregnancy care, with this factor being the most influential on almost all choice and control measures.

The rest of our audience mentioned a couple of other influential factors. 10% say a hospital recommendation somewhat influenced their choice of consultant, suggesting the consultant was based at a private hospital or has a working relationship with one. However, this only had a slight influence on 12%. 10% say they were somewhat influenced by online reviews, which ties in with what we saw above regarding our audience’s use of social platforms to find first options for private pregnancy care.

Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director comments:

“Specialist expertise in fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics is a key consideration, particularly for patients requiring advanced care. Many families value a consultant’s specific qualifications, scanning expertise, and approach to individualised pregnancy care. However, what the statistics above fail to acknowledge is that personal recommendation from friends or family plays a key role in a person’s choice of consultant for private pregnancy care.”

56% of HNWs say that past patient stories helped them evaluate their chosen private pregnancy consultant as families typically evaluate consultants through initial consultations, reviewing qualifications and specialist expertise. Reading testimonials (44%) from previous patients and seeking personal recommendations provide valuable insight.

Two major trends emerge when evaluating chosen private pregnancy consultants:

Our audience relies on two methods of consultant evaluation. More than half (56%) of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care say past patient stories help them evaluate their chosen consultant. The remaining 44% take a similar approach, saying they evaluate their consultant with the help of online testimonials.

Dr Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director agrees that this is largely the norm, but from an online marketing perspective, says that:

“Families typically evaluate consultants through initial consultations, reviewing qualifications and specialist expertise, particularly in fetal medicine or high-risk obstetrics. Reading testimonials from previous patients and seeking personal recommendations provide valuable insight. Understanding what’s included in care packages and whether the consultant performs scans personally also influences decisions.”

This highlights the importance of patients sharing their experiences of healthcare, both in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues and through online testimonials and reviews. In addition to helping patients make informed decisions regarding their healthcare, reviews and feedback also help providers improve their services and patient care in relevant ways.

64% of HNWs received both private maternity scans and consultant-led antenatal care. Every private pregnancy patient receives comprehensive antenatal consultations, routine ultrasound scans throughout pregnancy, and consultant-led delivery care.

Different types of private pregnancy care were received:

Most of our audience receive a combination of consultant-led antenatal care and private maternity scans. 16% say they absolutely received a combination of these, while 18% say they received some, 30% they did not receive much, and 26% say they did not receive this combination. This makes it clear that most private pregnancy care includes both types mentioned by our audience, although the frequency and/or degree of care received varies.

Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director states that:

“Every patient receives comprehensive antenatal consultations, routine ultrasound scans throughout pregnancy, and consultant-led delivery care. As a fetal medicine specialist, Dr Chrissie Yu performs all pregnancy scans personally, including detailed nuchal translucency and anomaly scans. Some consultants refer patients to external scanning centres, but Dr Chrissie Yu’s pregnancy care packages include her specialist scanning expertise as standard.”

5% of our audience say they received some consultant-led antenatal care, while another 5% say they did not receive this. Less than 1% say they received private maternity scans. Worryingly, the BBC reports that some high-street clinics are putting women’s lives at risk by allowing unqualified non-specialists to perform baby scans. According to the report, the Society of Radiographers is aware of examples of pregnant women being incorrectly diagnosed with serious health conditions and being given dangerous advice.

8% of HNWs found guidance from their private pregnancy consultant was helpful in preparing for the birth experience. Other sources such as antenatal classes for practical preparation were found somewhat helpful (46%).

When preparing for the birth experience, consultants played a crucial role:

Overall, our audience found the guidance and support of consultants, midwives, and other sources helpful when preparing for the birth experience. Guidance from consultants specifically was extremely helpful for 3% and somewhat helpful for 5%, while only 4% said it wasn’t helpful in this case. 4% agree that support from their midwife team was extremely helpful, and 10% say this support was somewhat helpful.

Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director is surprised that these numbers are not higher, given that:

“Guidance from your consultant throughout pregnancy provides essential preparation for birth. Many families also value antenatal classes for practical preparation. Dr Yu’s practice features two expert midwife consultants who can visit expectant mothers at home to discuss aspects of labour, breastfeeding, and postnatal care to complement Dr Chrissie Yu’s obstetric oversight.”

Other support sources were extremely helpful for 1%, while 45% said they were somewhat helpful. Conversely, only 27% said they were not very helpful, and just 1% said they were not helpful at all.

This shows that access to knowledgeable support from consultants, midwife teams, and other sources can significantly improve the birth preparation experience and reinforce the importance of clear communication, availability, and trusted guidance throughout pregnancy.

48% of HNWs valued personalized care and access to a consultant during their admission time in a private pregnancy clinic. Comfortable private rooms, excellent catering, and a calm, well-appointed environment contribute significantly to a private hospital birth experience.

Different factors stood out during private maternity hospital stays:

Every hospital stay is unique, and this is true for private maternity hospitals as much as for public healthcare facilities. 16% of our audience say access to their private pregnancy consultant stood out most during their stay, although 32% say this was only somewhat noticeable, and 33% say this was not very noticeable. Evidently, the majority of our audience did not have the consultant access they expected or hoped for, which is the opposite of what Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director would expect.

“There is clearly an issue with AI’s interpretation of private maternity care here. Families who invest in private maternity care do so because of the opportunity to benefit from consultant-led care. They expect personalized care and consultant access. They also benefit from the quality of facilities at both the Portland Hospital and Lindo Wing. Comfortable private rooms, excellent food and beverage, and a calm, well-appointed environment contribute significantly to a positive experience during their hospital stay.”

For 8%, the level of support they received was somewhat noticeable, although 11% say this was not very noticeable, suggesting they did not receive much support at all. These findings underscore how there are pros and cons to private maternity care, but that overall, having access to a team of experts, consistent care, regular contact with consultants and other pregnancy care providers, flexible appointments, and hotel-like facilities far outweigh cons like the cost, the possibility of ending up with NHS treatment anyway, and private facilities not being available in many smaller towns and cities in the UK.

58% of HNWs who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care agree that their overall experience was positive.

Most HNWs had a positive experience with their private pregnancy care consultant:

More than half (58%) of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care agree they had an overall positive experience. 29% say their experience was very positive, while another 29% say it was mostly positive. Another 25% have neutral feelings about their experience. This implies they may have experienced some, if not all, of the pros of private pregnancy care mentioned above.

Only 8% have mixed feelings, and another 8% reported a different experience, but didn’t clarify if this was positive or negative.

According to Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director these figures are to be expected as:

“Dr Chrissie Yu’s patients consistently report extremely high satisfaction, reflected in the many heartfelt testimonials we receive after their babies delivery. Many patients return for their third or fourth pregnancies, which speaks to the trust and positive experiences they’ve had. These personal accounts offer the most authentic description of care as shown in our testimonials.”

69% of HNWs would value more time with their private pregnancy consultant for future births as patients increasingly value comprehensive support beyond obstetric care.

Opinions vary on what would be valued most in future private pregnancy care:

69% of HNWs claim they would value more time with the consultant in future private pregnancy care, with 44% saying this is absolutely essential and 25% saying they would appreciate it.

Commenting on the opinions regarding valuing more time with a consultant, Dr Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director states,

“Patients increasingly value comprehensive support beyond obstetric care. While consultant obstetricians provide expert medical oversight of pregnancy and delivery, they are not breastfeeding specialists or paediatricians. At Chrissie Yu Private Pregnancy care we ensure our patients connect with our midwife consultants for antenatal education and postnatal guidance, addressing the full spectrum of care as patients’ needs evolve.”

25% mention more personalised guidance, although they do say this is not a top priority for them.

This may be because, although they appreciate personalisation, other aspects of private pregnancy care are more important to them. 5% say they would appreciate more holistic services, suggesting they found the services they received too focused or too rooted in conventional, mainstream Western medicine.

51% of HNWs claim to be based in Leeds despite private pregnancy clinics reporting 71% London based patients, 19% outside London and 10% outside the UK. 75% of private clinics are located in London.

Our audience is comprised of people from different major cities in the UK:

Interestingly, more than half (51%) of our audience says they are based in Leeds despite 75% of private clinics being based in London. Interestingly, the NHS in Leeds reports that it delivers an impressive 25 babies a day. This is a relatively high number compared to other cities of a similar size, but which see fewer babies delivered every day. 24% of our audience say they’re based in London, while 20% are based in Birmingham. Only 4% say they’re based in Manchester.

Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director says that

“Like 75% of private clinics, Chrissie Yu Private Pregnancy Care is based in London, where she sees patients at both the Portland Hospital and the Lindo Wing. The majority of our patients are based in London and the South East of England, though we welcome families from across the UK and internationally, including patients who travel from Hong Kong, the UAE and the United States for our care.”

24% HNWs identify as business professionals. According to Chrissie Yu, patients come from diverse professional backgrounds across finance, media, business, and other sectors.

Only 24% of our audience of people who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care say they are business professionals. Instead, the overwhelming majority (76%) are in other occupations, which may or may not be professional occupations.

Chrissie Yu’s Practice Director says,

“Dr Yu’s patients come from diverse professional backgrounds across finance, media, business, and other sectors. We’re privileged to provide discreet, expert care to families from all walks of life who value consultant-led pregnancy care and the individualized attention Dr Yu offers.”

Most of our audience may come from incredibly different walks of life, but even so, by choosing high-quality private pregnancy care, they’re prioritising their health and that of their unborn child.

Based on these opinions, it’s evident that private pregnancy care in the UK continues to evolve as expectant mothers seek reassurance, clarity, and a greater sense of control during an intensely personal time. While experiences vary, there are clear themes around trust, access, and emotional security.

As awareness grows and conversations become more open, these insights offer valuable guidance for both families exploring their options and providers aiming to deliver more responsive care.

Sourced using Artios from an independent sample of 257,114 opinions of People who have had a private maternity hospital stay for their consultant-led private pregnancy care in the UK across X, Quora, Reddit, Bluesky, TikTok, and Threads. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error. Results are derived from what people describe online, from opinions expressed, and not actual questions answered by people in the sample.