Whooping Cough and Pregnancy Pertussis (whooping cough) is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. There is no evidence that if you develop whooping cough in pregnancy your baby will be harmed while it is inside you. The risk to your baby has to do with once...
For staff on the wards, patients, husbands / partners, visitors there is now no requirement that they wear facemasks. The hospital has gone back to the pre-Covid recommendations for use of facemasks, e.g. by a doctor when operating.
As it is no longer mandated by NSW Health that face masks must be worn for patients and doctors for consultations in private practice we have decided to cease advising patients and their husbands/ partners that’s face masks must be worn for consultations. I have for a...
Today a nurse from a public hospital attended for routine antenatal visit. I asked about Covid cases at her hospital and whether see had to nurse these patients. She said there were many in-patients with Covid and that she did have to nurse patients with Covid. She...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
An increasing number of patients are asking me about COVID vaccination in pregnancy. I strongly suggest you arrange to be vaccinated against COVID. Safety of COVID vaccination in pregnancy Some patients are saying they are worried about safety especially for their...
If you live in a suburb where there are COVID cases then you must have a COVID swab within 3 days of your next antenatal visit and forward to us the negative result. If you have any cold or flu like symptoms then you must have a COVID swab before your next antenatal...
Another good reason for being confined at Norwest or the San and having me as your obstetrician. Your husband/partner can be with you for your antenatal visits, during labour and while you are an inpatient on the postnatal ward. This is not the case for public...
RANZCOG statement extract: "RANZCOG and ATAGI recommend that pregnant women are routinely offered Pfizer mRNA vaccine at any stage of pregnancy. This is because the risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 is significantly higher for pregnant women and their unborn baby....
Last week a pregnant nurse patient and a pregnant GP patient asked me whether they could have the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant. In the vaccine rollout they are category 1b because of their professions. I advised them, with there being no local COVID-19 cases for so...
RANZCOG updated advice on COVID vaccination for Australian pregnant women can be found at the link below. COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women
In view of the AMBER alert reintroduced by the NSW Government only your husband/ partner can accompany you for your antenatal visit. Children, other family members and friends are not allowed to be in the office including in the waiting room.
This has resulted in new restrictions at Norwest Private and Sydney Adventist Hospitals. These include: Both have reintroduced mask wearing Screening on entry to both hospital, social distancing and hand hygiene practices will continue As well at the San Maternity...
Norwest Hospital COVID update Norwest announced today the Hospital will again allow siblings to visit Maternity for one hour once a day, The San Hospital had not changed their policy - Partner only and no children
It is popular for patients to ask for a photo of me with baby, mum, and dad immediately after birth, or while in hospital postnatally or at the 6-week postnatal visit. Sadly, for the present unless I am wearing a face mask, this is not possible. Social distancing is...
NSW Health on 24th July has upgraded NSW COVID-19 alert to amber (moderate transmission risk) Consequently… In hospital… All staff must wear a surgical mask if social distancing not possible (viz. within 1.5m of patients). Husbands/partners must bring and wear their...
Sadly, there are now more COVID -19 infections in NSW. These are community spread cases and so pose a risk to the general community. It is reported the origins of the outbreak are in Melbourne. It is reported this has happened because of gross quarantine mismanagement...
There has been a lot of fear in the community about conceiving doing the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. I am pleased to advise as a specialist obstetrician doctor that I consider it is safe to conceive and embark on that very wanted pregnancy. Each day there is...
There is so much anxiety and fear in the community, including amongst my patients, about COVID-19 (coronavirus). It is impossible to turn on the radio, TV or social media without being confronted with negative COVID-19 information. My daughter refuses to watch the...
When I went to the Birth Unit yesterday morning one of the midwives told me she had been distressed by what the on-call anaesthetist had told her was the predicted death rate from coronavirus for people of her age. I told her that I did not agree with what he said....
Some of my thoughts about the coronavirus pandemic Every patient who attended for an antenatal visit quizzed me about coronavirus. They were all anxious, especially being pregnant. This was just a small sampling of the bigger Australian community. There is so much...
How to minimise your risk of getting coronavirus Washing your hands often especially before eating, drinking and touching your face. Soap and water washing for 20 seconds and thorough drying is best. Otherwise use a hand sanitiser with at least 70% alcohol.* Cover...
You can only attend your appointment if you do not have now or have not had within the last 2 weeks a cold or flu-like symptoms (such as fever, sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, shortness of breath). You can only attend for your appointment if you have not been in...
Is a pregnant woman more at risk of being infected with coronavirus? In pregnancy a woman’s body has immunologic and physiologic changes which might make her more susceptible to viral respiratory infections. This logically would include coronavirus (COVID-19). But...
*Saturday morning appointments are not available for initial antenatal visit.
