Antenatal Care
Your first visit with me will be at approximately 8 weeks gestation followed by visits at 13 (can be a teleconsult), 16, 21 (with midwife), 24-26, 27-30, 32, 34 and 36 weeks, and then every 7 to 10 days until delivery. Please note that in some cases, you may need to see me more often, especially if your pregnancy is high risk. Your partner/support person is very welcome to attend all your antenatal visits.
Initial visit (8-10 weeks)
This is perhaps the single most important visit through the pregnancy. In this visit, we establish your due date, we assess your risks in the pregnancy and ultimately is where we can make decisions that will impact the rest of the pregnancy. We also discuss common things to avoid in pregnancy, genetic testing both for you and baby, travel precautions, and address any additional concerns you might have.
13-15 weeks’ visit
In this visit we review the chromosome test for baby – whether it’s NIPT,
FTCS, or both. If you had an NIPT without a further scan, I would like you to be seen face to face so that I can scan our baby to ensure baby looks normal. However, if you had FTCS/NT, OR if you had NIPT + FTCS already in combination, then this visit can be by teleconsult to review results only.
16 week visit
In this visit be prepared I’ll be doing an internal scan for you. The internal scan
looks for the cervical length and the placental location. A shortened cervix may increase the risk of preterm birth and we can prevent 99% of these with a scan.
22 weeks visit
At this visit you’ll meet with either Elisa or Sharon, who are lovely clinic midwifes that help me and add to your care. There may be issues that you feel more comfortable in discussing with them and they can certainly raise these with me, or address them in a way you feel comfortable with.
In this visit, they will go through common symptoms, and warning symptoms in pregnancy.
Furthermore, they’ll help you do a 3-D scan of the baby if it hasn’t already been attempted at your 20 week morphology scan. They will discuss with you the hospital you are considering booking into, and provide you with all emergency contact details for me and the hospitals.
Importantly we’ll also be reviewing your 20 weeks’ morphology scan.
28-34 weeks visits
During these visits there will be repeat testing for gestational diabetes, and additionally tests to assess for iron, vitamin D deficiencies that can affect you and the baby. We’ll be doing growth scans and charting these throughout the pregnancy. At 30-32 weeks it would be worthwhile considering birthing classes. We’ll discuss at depth the reasons for choosing one option over another, the risks, and pro’s and con’s.
36+ weeks’ visits
We will be discussing antenatal expressing, ongoing monitoring for baby, and finalising delivery plans. For those wishing to attempt a natural birth, it would be worthwhile considering starting to use an EPI-NO, but only if your GBS swab was negative. I will also offer an internal examination at each visit. There is good evidence showing repeated internal stretches can help you bring on labour, and avoiding needing to have an induction.
It is important to discuss any questions with me and I will always make every attempt to answer them. It is often helpful to list these questions because you may forget to ask them during your antenatal visits.
Do NOT hesitate to contact me in cases of emergency. It is always better we know than not. I am busy, but I’ll always have back up if I’m tired and cannot be around. Myself and my team are here for you.
Every attempt will be made to see you at your appointed time, although occasionally there may be a delay. This usually occurs because another patient needs to be delivered during a
consulting session. If this happens you will be offered another appointment, although you are welcome to wait until I return. It is always wise not to commit yourself immediately following your appointment.
Postnatal Visit
This is a very important visit at 6 weeks post delivery. We will be checking on your recovery, (abdomen, perineum, uterus and ovaries). Planning the next pregnancy, discussing contraceptive options, and addressing any medical issues that have arisen during the pregnancy.
Sharon and Elisa are both available for home visits during the post partum period, please
enquire. Sharon is a registered lactation specialist and is able to help with any issues. She is usually available Wednesdays in the rooms.
