Pregnancy Care
When choosing Peter as your Obstetrician you can expect the very highest level of personalised expert care. You see Peter at all your appointments and when you call with a question, it is Peter who takes or returns your call. This means you can feel confident that you are getting the very best expert advice and highest level of care throughout your whole pregnancy and that he is constantly aware of any and all health issues you may have.
Please find below information about your care under Peter.
Antenatal Care - Appointment Schedule
Your initial appointment typically occurs between 6-10 weeks’ gestation.
At this appointment Peter conducts a thorough check-up and discussion about your wellbeing and your baby’s health. This appointment will include an ultrasound scan. Blood tests and future ultrasound request forms will be given to you at this appointment. Peter welcomes partners and family members to attend. With Peter, your pregnancy experience is not just a medical process but a personal and caring partnership.
Peter will schedule subsequent appointments based on the type of pregnancy you are likely to experience. For most uncomplicated pregnancies this would involve appointments every 4 to 6 weeks until 28 weeks and then every 2 to 3 weeks until 36 to 38 weeks and then weekly until the birth of your baby.
Testing Options
Genetic Testing, Carrier Screening (Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile X Syndrome, Spinal Muscular Atrophy or other Expanded Screening tests) and Aneuploidy Screening options (NIPT, Maternal Serum Screening) are offered early in the pregnancy process for you to consider carefully. You will have ample time to discuss and understand these options.
Whilst Peter recommends some of these tests, the decision is ultimately up to you.
Ultrasounds
During your pregnancy care Peter recommends the following ultrasound scans:
- Dating Scan between 6-9 weeks’ gestation to determine your baby’s due date, confirm viability, assess for multiples and take a wonderful keep-sake first image!
- Ultrasound at 12-13 weeks is an early fetal anatomy scan and to assess for potential structure abnormalities, potential Down Syndrome risk and chromosomal abnormalities
- Ultrasound at 20-22 weeks is a more formal review of fetal anatomy and growth
Any additional growth/biophysical scans are as per the nature of the pregnancy
In addition to these formal ultrasound scans Peter can scan your baby in his rooms at your appointments allowing you the opportunity to connect with your little one along the journey.
Additional Tests
At 24-28 weeks Peter recommends that you be tested for Gestational Diabetes. This is with a simple fasting blood test and an oral glucose drink. A concurrent check of you blood count and iron stores is usually assessed at the same time.
At 35 to 37 weeks Peter recommends that a simple GBS swab be performed for any patients attempting a vaginal birth.
All appointments are conducted with Peter and he encourages you to bring any questions you may have about your pregnancy or the labour and delivery process. The aim of each appointment is to determine the wellbeing of both you and your baby and this will occasionally involve the use of investigations, inclusive of further blood tests and ultrasound scans outside the above schedule and he would normally advise you of this in advance.
Postnatal Appointment
At 6-8 weeks post delivery a postpartum appointment will be scheduled to see how you are healing from birth and to ensure everything is on track. We look forward to seeing you.
