Dear Patient:

Welcome to my practice. It will be my pleasure to look after you during your pregnancy as well as for the six weeks following your delivery.

The purpose of this guide is to help you through your pregnancy so you enjoy the healthiest pregnancy possible. It also serves to alleviate some of the common fears and misconceptions that are often encountered during a pregnancy from media, well meaning friends as well as the Internet.

The information that I have covered deals with some of the more common topics and problems encountered during pregnancy and childbirth. This guide is intended to be used along with other literature and information available on prenatal education.

My Philosophy

I view pregnancy and childbirth as a natural part of a women’s life. It is not a medical event and should not be treated as such. My job as your obstetrician is to help guide you through your pregnancy. I will attempt, as much as possible, that you are doing all that you can to ensure the healthiest outcome possible. It is also my job to order all the necessary tests and investigations but without making the process arduous or anxiety provoking. It is also my responsibility to detect any variances in your pregnancy so that they can be dealt with and to answer any questions and concerns that you or your partner may have.

Pregnancy, especially the first one, is a very special time in a woman’s life. Although nine months seems long, it will fly by faster than you can imagine. Your job description during this time is to be the life support system for another human being and this is the biggest job description out there. This responsibility will stay with you for as long as you are a parent. It is also a time where you will focus a lot of attention on yourself, both in the way that you look, feel, what you eat, how you exercise and cope with all the changes that are going to happen to your body.

Over the course of the next nine months, pregnancy will be a torture tunnel for your body. Most women will gain approximately a third of their body weight. There will be incredible changes, both visible and internal changes that will affect how you look, feel and function. It may also change the way other people relate you. Some women may have a very easy uncomplicated and relatively asymptomatic pregnancy while other women may have a more difficult time.

Each woman will experience pregnancy in her own unique way. Try not to compare yourself to other pregnant moms and try to, as much as possible, not to take comments from friends, family and passersby to heart. Any concerns you may have should be directed to me. Beware of Dr. Google. He is not your physician!

Doctors’ Visits

In a healthy and uncomplicated pregnancy, I would usually see you every four weeks until 34 weeks. In a first pregnancy after 34 weeks, I would see you every 2 weeks till 38 weeks and from then on I will see you weekly until you deliver. The schedule of these visits can be adjusted according to how you are feeling and I am happy to see you more frequently if you would like me to or need to, especially if there are complications or issues, which need to be dealt with.

At each visit, I am happy to answer any questions that you have. I usually inform you of the changes that should have occurred up to that point and what to expect from that visit until the next. I check your urine for sugar and protein. Weighing you is optional. I then check the growth of the baby by measuring the distance from your pubic bone to the top of the uterus. This is an indicator of the growth of the fetus and the measurements in centimeters should correspond to the number of weeks you are pregnant, eg. 26 weeks of pregnancy should correspond to approximately 26 cm. I then check the position of the baby, check the amount of amniotic fluid and listen to the fetal heartbeat. At the end of each visit, please make sure that you have an appointment for the following visit. I am happy to see your partner as well as family members. I do not rush you during these visits and I like to give you as much time as possible. Please understand that I try to be as punctual as possible but delays are inevitable and I tend to run a little over time, especially towards the end of the day so if you are in a rush, please phone my office before to make sure that I do not keep you waiting unnecessarily.

Medical Tests

Your family doctor will usually order the routine prenatal blood work. This is usually done very soon after finding out that you are pregnant. You may also have a first trimester ultrasound to ensure that the pregnancy is viable and also to the help determine if your dates are accurate.

You will have a “detailed ultrasound or what is also called a level two ultrasound at around 20 weeks. This ultrasound looks at the anatomy of the baby to ensure that there are no abnormalities or other medical issues involving the pregnancy. You may ask to know the gender of your baby at this ultrasound. This is optional and only at your request. If you are at or over 20 weeks gestation they may tell you at the time of the scan. If you are under 20 weeks the gender will be marked down on the result form for me to give to you once you are at 20 weeks along. There are no more routine ultrasounds after the 20-week one but if I feel that there is a medical need for another ultrasound, one will be ordered. The 3D ultrasounds are for entertainment purposes only and have no medical benefit whatsoever. These scans are optional and are not covered under the medical services plan

Tests for Downs’ syndrome and other genetic tests. Please see prenatal services BC

How to contact me

If you have a non-urgent issue or question that cannot wait to be addressed at the next visit then call my office at 604-874-6848 and leave a message with the secretary and I will get back to you. I will return your call at the end of the working day. I am not in the office every day so there may be a delay in getting back to you. Please leave me your cell no or home no so I can call you after work. If you have an urgent question or issue that cannot wait then please call my on call group member at B.C. Women’s Hospital. There is always a doctor on call to deal with emergencies. The doctor on call can be reached at 604 – 875 – 2161 and ask for the LEVEL ONE DOCTOR ON CALL. If your call is not returned promptly please call again.

If you feel the situation is urgent and cannot wait for a phone call then come directly to BC Women’s Hospital and we will be happy to see you there.