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Will I need another Caesarean section?
This is a common question. When I was training to become an obstetrician most women who had a Caesarean section had a vaginal delivery next pregnancy. This has changed. Now most women who had a Caesarean section have a Caesarean section next pregnancy. There are...
Proud parent baby photos
Patients frequently send me photos and sometime videos of their newborn baby that they have taken. Sometimes they share photos of themselves while pregnant and sometimes photos of their baby at it get older as an infant or child. I am very grateful and it gives me...
Three adverse pregnancy developments
Suzi booked with me for management of her first pregnancy. She was 30-year-old and had no significant medical history and surgical history. Her initial routine pregnancy blood test results were normal, including her platelet count which was 190 x 10^9/L. Suzi had the...
Internet and social media use in my medical practice
Before the popular use of the internet had I was giving patients at their antenatal first visit with me several pages of the most popular pregnancy questions and answers. This was motivated by a desire for my patients to have correct pregnancy knowledge, rather than...
Will I need an episiotomy?
On Friday I had four deliveries. In the afternoon at Norwest Hospital a patient in her first pregnancy had a normal delivery with an intact perineum. That evening at the San Hospital a patient in her first pregnancy had a normal delivery but needed an episiotomy. A...
Perineal tearing
Perineal tearing The goal with a vaginal delivery is an intact perineum. This does not always happen. There can be tearing, the commonest area of tearing is the perineum. Hopefully it is only minor tearing. Sometimes an episiotomy is needed. This could be to avoid a...
Cervical stretch and membrane sweep
It is common for a woman in advanced pregnancy to be very uncomfortable and to be very keen to go into labour. She may have gone past her due date and is aware and concerned about the dangers of continuing her pregnancy too long after her due date. As well she is...
Omicron – should you be concerned?
Many patients are asking me about Covid and should they be concerned. I suspect this is because of the increasing number of Omicron cases (22,577 new cases today in NSW) and the often-conflicting messages from politicians, journalists, and doctors and nonsense...
Happy New Year
CHANGES TO COVID checking OF PREGNANT WOMEN 31st Dec 2021
Both hospitals have updates their COVID check policies for pregnant women and their husbands/partners. SYDNEY ADVENTIST HOSPITAL (SAN) There have been some changes announced to the management of pregnant women which will take effect at the San, from today. Routine PCR...
Happy Christmas
b Wishing you and your family a wonderful and blessed Christmas
Supporting your partner in labour
As the husband/partner you have a very important role in supporting your wife/partner during labour and childbirth. There is huge excitement and anticipation that you both have for meeting your new baby. But as well there is...
Travel insurance and pregnancy
Contents Travel insurance and pregnancy Pregnancy is a very unpredictable time Appropriate travel insurance while pregnant is not optional Read the fine print Helpful websites The insurance cost will vary because of … Make sure it is in writing If...
Visitor policy updates
Both hospitals have recently updated their visitor policies Norwest Private Hospital In labour 1 support person only allowed. Can’t change support person during labour. Postnatal ward Maximum of 2 visitors in the patient’s room at a time would include counting the...
Swaddle eligibility rules change on 1st December
“New eligibility criteria starting 1 December 2021 require HCF members to have held pregnancy and birth related cover with HCF for 12 months by the date of the baby's birth.” If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant very soon and planning to take advantage of...
COVID vaccination hesitation in pregnancy
The large majority of patients tell me at their antenatal visit how they are fully COVID vaccinated, had their first shot or have their appointment for their first shot. CONGRATULATIONS! There is a small minority who have decided not to be vaccinated while pregnant or...
SAN Swaddle update
The Hospital advises… After 1 December 2021, patients must have held obstetrics cover exclusively with HCF for 12 months prior to their baby's birth to qualify for the Swaddle program. Previously, patients have been able to switch from a different health fund into HCF...
COVID update for support people staying at Norwest Private Hospital
The Hospital has advised… Support people are ENCOURAGED to remain on hospital grounds for the entire duration. If a support person leaves the hospital grounds to go home/shopping etc. they WILL BE required to have a valid negative swab result on their phone before...
Increased risk of COVID infection in pregnancy
While most patients are either already vaccinated against COVID or keen to be vaccinated ASAP, there are some patients who are hesitant. My understanding, after discussion with hesitant patients, is this hesitancy has a lot to do with believing nonsense negative...
COVID precautions for maternity admissions 28th July 2021
Both Norwest Private Hospital and the Sydney Adventist Hospital have increased their COVID precautions because of the increasing number of COVID case in the community. There are differences between the hospitals precautions because each is a privately owned hospital...
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