Pregnancy supervision and childbirth is generally described as a obstetric care. This is delivered as a package service. It involves supervision of the pregnancy and birth, as well as postnatal care.
Running alongside of the obstetric care service is, baby ultrasound scan service. Please note this is a separate service.
I provide an obstetric care package which includes antenatal appointments every 4 weeks from 12 weeks until 28 weeks and then every 2 weeks until 40 weeks and then weekly until you deliver.
- Early Pregnancy Viability or Dating Scan
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This scan is usually done internally through the vagina (trans-vaginally) and can be done from about 6 or 7 weeks to confirm the presence of a pregnancy and that the baby’s heart is beating. It can also be used to confirm the number of embryos that are present and can be used to exclude an ectopic pregnancy.
The examination will take about 10 minutes to carry out.
- Nuchal Translucency Scan
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This examination is normally carried out at about the 11-13½ week of pregnancy. The scan confirms that the baby is alive and that gross features such as the baby’s head, trunk, arms, legs, feet and heartbeat are present. In addition to the measurements, the Nuchal fold or Nuchal Translucency is measured and the presence or absence of the baby’s nasal bone is checked. This is combined with a blood test, and a risk for abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome can be calculated.
This is called the Combined Test and the examination requires about 15-20 minutes.
- Non-Invasive Clinical Testing ( NIPT)
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This is an examination which requires a blood sample from the mother, where small fragments of DNA from the pregnancy can be analyzed, and a risk of Down’s syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities are assessed. This test is best carried out in conjunction with a Nuchal Translucency scan.
Please note however that there is a few days of lag time in obtaining the chromosome result, due to the method of analysis that is required by the labs.
- Invasive Procedures CVS/Amniocentesis
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Following early pregnancy assessment by whatever method you choose, sometimes it is necessary to proceed to carrying out further definitive examinations of the pregnancy to confirm or exclude abnormality. This may require taking a sample of amniotic fluid (Amniocentesis) or taking a fragment of placental tissue Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS) for analysis.
The test results are definitive and designed to give a direct chromosome count. Please note that there is a risk of carrying out an invasive procedure. This is an added risk of 1% of miscarriage, in other words, every 100 women who has one of these tests will sadly lose her pregnancy.
- Anomaly Scan
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This examination is usually carried out between 19 and 23 weeks. It is a detailed scan that assesses the anatomy of the baby. It is a thorough examination looking at the head, brain, face, chest, heart, abdomen, gut, spine and extremities to detect signs of abnormality. A normal test is highly reassuring, however the limitations of ultrasound technology means that not every single structural or functional abnormality can be excluded by an examination. The fetal sex can also be determined at this examination.
The examination takes about 30 minutes to carry out.
- Fetal Growth and Wellbeing Scan
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These are scans that are carried out to give a guide to the baby’s wellbeing. The scan will be able to assess the baby’s size and the blood flow within the baby’s circulation can be assessed using Doppler to further assess the health of the baby.
The examination takes about 30 minutes to carry out.
- Gynaecology
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My Gynaecology service includes the management of menstrual disorders. This can be done in a One Stop setting where the use of ultrasound is used in aiding diagnosis. Other services include sexual health and well women screening, cervical smears, advice on conception and contraception.
A typical consultation would take 30 minutes.