Having a child can be a life changing and enriching experience, and having the right healthcare provider by your side can be an extremely important source of support and information. An Obstetrician is a doctor that specialises in providing medical care and advice before, during and after birth, to ensure that you experience a smooth, healthy pregnancy. Some of the important functions that Obstetricians perform include:

Antenatal Care

Antenatal care is a series of appointments that begin once your pregnancy is confirmed and continue until you give birth. They are conducted by an Obstetrician and are intended as check-up appointments to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy. These appointments are focused on three key areas:

These antenatal appointments are vital to ensuring that everything runs smoothly and can be a really positive experience, allowing you to educate yourself on anything you might need and helping you alleviate any worries or concerns.

Ultrasound Scans

As part of antenatal care, Obstetricians will perform a number of routine ultrasound scans throughout your pregnancy to check on your baby’s growth and health. These scans include:

Dr Rahul Sen - home - 3d-scan

Nutritional Advice

pregnancy diet planNutrition in pregnancy is vital to both the health of the baby and the health of the mother before and after birth. An Obstetrician is a healthcare professional that can help guide your dietary choices and ensure that you are eating healthy and nutrient packed meals.

They can help educate you on what vitamins and minerals are important during pregnancy, what foods you should be avoiding and how to track your meals to ensure that you are eating the correct amounts. You will discuss important nutrients like folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D and ensure that you are eating the correct foods to satisfy you and your child’s needs.

Childbirth and High Risk Pregnancies

As the healthcare partner that has been with you from the very beginning of your pregnancy your Obstetrician is a wealth of information about you and your child. Having them present during your birth is important to ensure that everything is properly taken care of and that you receive the correct medical support for your needs.

If you are at risk of experiencing a high-risk pregnancy then the Obstetrician will also play a vital role in adjusting your prenatal care and advising on the delivery of your child.

Postnatal Care

Giving birth is just the beginning of the journey, so an Obstetrician will perform a postnatal check-up to discuss your pregnancy and any considerations you should take if you wish to have more children. They will also discuss your physical and mental health and ensure that you have the right support to continue to live a happy and healthy life with your child.

Pregnancy can be an incredibly emotional and turbulent time for women and their families, so having the right medical partner by your side is vital to a happy, healthy nine months. An obstetrician is a doctor who specialises in providing advice and medical care throughout, during and after your pregnancy. They are there for every step of your journey to ensure that your birth is stress free and successful.

With an obstetrician being such an important partner throughout the period of pregnancy and beyond it is vital to choose the right doctor for you. Here are five tips to guarantee you’ve picked the right option:

Ensure that they are an experienced obstetrician:

It might seem like a bit of a no-brainer but choosing an obstetrician that has been around the block a few times can make a real difference. It is a good idea to do some research online to see how long they have been in obstetrics, what types of births they are experienced with and any reviews from other moms. If you are still in doubt you might ask for an initial consultation where you will get the opportunity to ask them about their medical background and experience.

Establish that they will they be available throughout your journey:

An obstetrician is meant to be there with you from the time you get your first scans to when you are giving birth to your child, so establishing that they will be available throughout this period is important. Ask what times they commit themselves too and particularly if they be available for the birth. If they will be away for a key moment then ask them what their plan will be to ensure that you remain properly cared for.

Get to know their team:

Because obstetrics is all about continuity of care, any good obstetrician doesn’t work alone. They work with midwives, hospitals and other doctors to ensure that you get the right level of care throughout your pregnancy. Their team will be there when the obstetrician can’t be, so looking into their team and who they surround themselves by is just as important as knowing your main doctor.

Understand their cost:

Obstetricians can vary significantly in price, so understanding their pricing, what can be covered by insurance and medicare, and what can’t, is vital to ensuring that you understand the cost of your care.

Make sure they are a good fit for you:

Finally you should ensure that your obstetrician is a good fit for you emotionally. In an initial consultation you should see whether you feel comfortable around them, how open they are to answering your questions and how confident you feel in their judgement and advice. If they aren’t willing to answer your queries or become irritated, then you know that they won’t be much better throughout the stressful stages of your pregnancy.

This is an individual who will be your key point of contact and medical support throughout your pregnancy, so feeling like they are a good fit for you emotionally, who will provide you with the help and advice that you need is vital.

Dr Rahul Sen is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist, based at Prince of Wales Private and Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick.

As we approach your due date I like to have a longer discussion with you and your partner, to discuss your birth plan.  You do not need to have a written document, it is good to be informed, and to have an idea of how you would like the birth to go, but it is essential to be flexible, as babies do not always behave as you expect or want them to, both during the birth and afterwards.

My aim is to help you achieve the birth experience you would like.  If you are wanting a natural birth then being in the best physical and mental shape you can be for labour is important.  Courses like Calm Birth can be very helpful in reducing anxiety, reducing physical tension, and giving you the confidence to try and trust in yourself and to trust your body.

It is important to remember what the ultimate goal is i.e. healthy mother and healthy baby.  If it takes an epidural or forceps or caesarean section to achieve that then you should not feel disappointed that your original birth plan did not come about.  As much as I want you to stay confident and positive it is important to consider some of the variations that happen in labour, as they are common.

The first is epidural.  Four out of five women who have private obstetric care choose to have an epidural.  Your likelihood of asking for an epidural is reduced if you are highly motivated, or if you have a single support person with you throughout labour, and if you have attended a Calm Birth course or similar.  It is increased if labour is induced

If you are keen to avoid an epidural, and you are coping well with labour then there is absolutely no reason to have one.  You get a natural high from the adrenalin and endorphins after birth, you can quite rightly feel a strong sense of accomplishment after successful vaginal birth, particularly if you have done it drug free.

On the other hand there is no shame in having an epidural, many women know in advance that they want one.  An epidural may well be of help if your labour is progressing slowly, and this commonly occurs if the baby is in a posterior position, i.e. head down but gazing up to the sky.
I will generally recommend an epidural if I need to do a forceps delivery, and sometimes if I need to do a vacuum or ventouse delivery.

Episiotomy: 

Episiotomy is a cut with the scissors, usually from the lowest part, or “V” of the vagina, angled to the right.  Many years ago an episiotomy used to be standard for all births.  I do not perform episiotomy routinely, but sometimes they are necessary.  I perform them always with forceps, sometimes with vacuum, and sometimes for other vaginal birth, especially when the perineum starts to tear early, or becomes very swollen, in which case it loses its natural stretch.  If you do not have an epidural I will inject local anaesthetic into the perineum before doing an episiotomy where possible.

Ventouse: 

A ventouse or vacuum delivery is required if we need to speed up delivery, either because you have been pushing for a long time, or baby is becoming distressed, or if baby is stuck in an awkward position.  To do a vacuum delivery you need to have adequate pain relief, the cervix needs to be fully dilated, you need to be able to move the baby’s head and with pushing and there needs to be enough space in the pelvis, all of which I assess on vaginal examination, sometimes with the assistance of ultrasound.

It is important for you to know that successful delivery with a vacuum is not always guaranteed.
If I think there is a low likelihood of delivery then I might recommend forceps delivery, a caesarean section, or a trial of vacuum delivery in the Operating Theatres, with the option of proceeding to caesarean section if we are not successful. When the vacuum is applied there is a maximum amount of time when the vacuum can safely stay on for, and there needs to be some degree of success with each pull, whether it is rotation or decent of the head.

If the head does not move at all with the vacuum then I will generally need to do a caesarean section, if there is some descent with each pull then I will generally do up to three pulls, and a maximum of four, and then stop unless the head is by now partly out.

It is generally safer for your baby if I use just one instrument, so if I do not think that vacuum is likely to be successful I will recommend forceps. This is likely to be the case if the head is not very low in the pelvis, if there is a lot of swelling on the back of the baby’s head, so the suction cap is likely to fall off, or if the baby’s head does not move with pushing. If I do not think either can be tried safely I will recommend caesarean section.

Following ventouse delivery your baby will have a small round “bun” on the back of their head, in addition to the swelling that occurs naturally from being upside down in the pelvis.  This usually settles within a few days.  There is often a dark purple disc which can persist for around a week.  Sometimes there is soft swelling under the scalp, which generally settles down after a few days.  Occasionally this causes the baby some irritation, and your Paediatrician may prescribe baby Panadol.

Severe complications as a result of ventouse are rare, especially if we limit the number of pulls and the amount of pressure applied.

If your baby becomes stuck in labour or distressed before the cervix is fully dilated I will need to perform a caesarean section.

Forceps:

You require good pain relief for forceps delivery.  Generally this means epidural.  Sometimes I can perform what is known as a pudendal block, which is local anaesthetic injected inside the vagina.  This is usually very effective.

I routinely perform episiotomy with forceps.  This is to reduce the chance of a tear in the midline extending down into the sphincter muscle.  The importance of such a tear, known as a third or fourth degree tear, is that if it occurs it can leave you with a greater chance of having little control over wind, liquids, and sometimes even solids from your bowel.  Needless to say this is personally distressing and socially awkward, but fortunately it is rare.  Even when it does occur it often improves and sometimes resolves completely with time.

Bladder function is often worse after birth.  Many women report loss of bladder sensation, and loss of bladder control after birth, even after caesarean birth.  The chance of reduced bladder control is greater if you have had long labour, big baby, ventouse delivery, and especially, forceps delivery.

Perineal Repair:

If you have a cut or a tear then I will suture or stitch the perineum with a dissolving stitch.  This is usually a suture material known as Vicryl.  In the deep layers the Vicryl is slowly dissolving, and takes two to three months to dissolve.  In the skin layer the Vicryl dissolves after two or three weeks.

Because of the proximity of the perineum to the anus, and the multiple bacteria that live in the area it is very easy for the perineum to become infected.  For that reason I wash the perineum extensively, before, after and during the repair, and I advise you to keep the perineum as clean and dry as you can after the birth

At the first sign of infection it is important to start antibiotics to prevent breakdown of the perineal repair.  Early signs of infection are worsening pain, increasing tenderness, an unusual smell, and increasing redness of the perineum.  Starting antibiotics promptly will generally prevent the perineum from becoming truly infected and the wound breaking down.  If it does break down it will still heal, but healing will take longer.

The two issues I would like you to consider are issues after the baby is born.  In a sense the birth is the easy bit if all goes well you push the baby out.  If necessary I will do a vacuum or forceps delivery.  If the baby gets distressed or baby gets stuck then I shall do a caesarean.  Then the fun begins.

For most first time mums feeding and settling is a challenge.  Most babies do not naturally attach to the breast.  They often attach to the nipple and if that is not corrected then they will cause nipple damage which can be very painful, and take a while to heal.  It is important, therefore, for both you and the baby to learn good technique from the outset.

Please take advantage of the expertise and support offered by the midwives on the ward.  If necessary you can be referred to a Lactation Consultant.  There are daily drop in classes, lactation consultant sessions and one on one sessions during the week, and sometimes even at weekends, depending which hospital you are booked at.

Your milk generally comes in on day three or day four.  When it comes in you are often very tearful.  Most babies lose between 5 and 10% of their birth weight in the first few days.  If your baby loses much more than 10%, then you may need to supplement the breast milk with some formula, especially if your baby is jaundiced, or low birth weight to start with.  This is something that you will be given advice on by your Paediatrician, in conjunction with the Midwife or Lactation Consultant.

Sleep:

By far the most difficult challenge facing new mums is coping with sleep deprivation.  Before the birth please take some time to consider how you personally will cope with sleep deprivation.  Most new mums are not prepared for just how difficult it can be to adjust to having a newborn, who, while delightful and engaging in every other way, wants to stay awake all night, and feed, cry, or play, or all of the above.

Most babies sleep in patches during the day so please take advantage of every opportunity during daylight hours when your baby goes down to have a rest as well.  If partners or family are around then they can often take the baby for walks during the day while you rest.

I recommend you limit visitors to family and close friends.  Visitors are well meaning, but often draining at a time when you need all your energy and resources.  Take advantage of every offer of help from practical things such as shopping, cooking and cleaning, and offload peripheral responsibilities.

The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  For a while you may feel like there is a heavy fog hanging over you preventing you from functioning normally and making rational decisions.  Over time you become accustomed to broken sleep, and learn to take advantage of the sleep opportunities you have.

Above all else I think it is important not to torture yourself trying to do things perfectly.  Most first time mums especially want to do everything perfectly, and if it works then that is fantastic, but please have a plan B.  Sometimes you will need to give your baby formula top ups and that is no crime.  Sometimes it is necessary to preserve your sanity, and your baby will still love you just the same.

I look forward to finishing this journey, and remember it will all be worthwhile when you are holding the little one in your arms.

Dr Rahul Sen, 2017

Issues:

  1. Radiation: you are exposed to a small increase in the amount of exposure to background radiation
  2. Security: consider not only the customs and safety of the country you are visiting, but remember motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of travel injury
  3. Water: drink only safe, bottled water
  4. Food: eat freshly and properly cooked food, and avoid street food and raw or under-cooked food
  5. Travel Insurance: make sure your travel insurance covers you for pregnancy complications
  6. Insect-borne infections: reduce your risk of mosquito and other infections by covering up, wearing DEET, using air-conditioning and avoiding dawn and dusk, which are common biting times
  7. Respiratory Infections: airports are hubs of infection, so consider wearing a face mask while transiting through airports
  8. Travel Letter: make sure you get a letter from me or from your GP dated within 10 days of your departure
  9. Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): the combination of pregnancy and long haul travel increases your risk of blood clots in legs or lungs, which can be serious

Strategies to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis:

Do:

Consume plenty of drinking water;

Use full length, surgical grade, stockings for the entire flight and until you are fully mobile;

Walk around the cabin or up and down the aisle every 2-3 hours;

Wiggle your toes frequently when seated.

Don’t:

Consume anything that de-hydrates you, especially caffeine or alcohol.

This month I thought we’d focus on some other common supplements you may be prescribed in pregnancy.

Vitamin D

Many pregnant women have reduced vitamin D levels.  You are at increased risk of deficiency if you have dark skin or are veiled, but also if you use sunscreen regularly or spend little time outdoors.  It is important to ensure your vitamin D level is adequate, as vitamin D is important in the absorption of calcium, so can affect your (and your baby’s) bone strength and formation.  Your GP or Dr Sen can send you for a simple blood test to see if a supplement is required.  You may also be prescribed some ‘sun time’!  Once you start taking a vitamin D supplement you should have a follow up test in 4-6 months to check your level has risen sufficiently.  It is not uncommon for some women to need a supplement for the long term.

Vitamin B12

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) recommend that vegetarian and vegan women take a B12 supplement.  However, in practice, often supplementation is only recommended if you are showing a deficiency on blood testing.  If you are vegetarian/vegan or if you have any concerns about your B12 level you can request for Dr Sen to check your level.  It is certainly possible to obtain adequate B12 through your diet, even if you are vegetarian/vegan, although it does require more careful planning.  Low vitamin B12 levels have been associated with early pregnancy loss and increased rates of NTD and spina bifida.

Iron

In Australia, it is not recommended that all women take an iron supplement as not all women will become deficient, and excess iron can be harmful.  Women are screened several times through their pregnancy to check for iron deficiency (anaemia).  Anaemia in pregnancy can result in pre-term delivery and small for gestational age babies and will result in you feeling very fatigued.  Dr Sen will test your iron levels routinely at 26-28 weeks of pregnancy. If you are found to be deficient, one of our midwives or our dietitian will call and advise you regarding your supplementation requirements. Your levels will then be tested again later in your pregnancy, to check that they have risen to a healthy level. The amount of iron contained in a multivitamin is usually small and not sufficient if you are found to have iron deficiency.  The amount of iron required in late pregnancy is more than is possible to obtain from your diet alone.

Calcium

Ideally you will be able to obtain adequate calcium (3 serves per day or 1000mg) through your diet.  If you are unable to consume this amount of dairy or dairy equivalent, you should be taking a calcium supplement.  As is the case with iron, multivitamin preparations do not contain significant amounts of calcium, usually meaning a separate supplement is needed.

Omega 3 fatty acids

While there is growing evidence as to the important role these nutrients may play, there is currently not enough evidence to recommend they be routinely prescribed in pregnancy.

For more information about pregnancy nutrition, visit our website.

Between nausea, the worry about listeria and the need to ensure a high-quality diet lunchtime choices can be difficult!  If you usually bring your lunch to work it is likely you will need to make some changes from your usual options- but is what you are choosing now a healthy option?  Hot chips may be ‘safe’ but are they a nutritious choice? Let’s look at some of the better takeaway choices you could make and what to steer clear of most of the time!

Remember a decent lunch also makes it far less likely you’ll be reaching for that chocolate bar at 4 pm!

Toasted sandwiches/sandwiches/wraps:

Choose wholemeal, multigrain or rye bread or rolls and fill with lots of salad and some cheese, tuna or egg.   If you are toasting your sandwich, you could add chicken/ham/turkey/beef.  Make sure it is heated right through!  Salamis and other processed meats should be avoided entirely. If your sandwich is super-sized try leaving half of it for later.  Steer clear of focaccias and Turkish bread as these options are very high in energy.

Soups:

A great way of getting a whole lot of veggies in in the middle of the day!  Choose options such as lentil and sweet potato, pumpkin, chicken and corn, minestrone or barley and vegetable!  A gazpacho is a great option in summer.  Add some toast or a bread roll if you’re feeling extra hungry.  

Asian cuisine:

Skip the Laksa and deep fried items and give sushi a miss but there are still many great options to choose from- Vietnamese spring rolls, Stir-fries (add tofu/chicken/seafood/beef), a short or long or Pho noodle soup.  If you get a stir-fry ask for more veggies and less rice (or choose noodles) to ensure you are filling up on the nutritious part of the meal.

Salads:

These can be a bit tricky as it is recommended that pre-made salads are avoided when you’re pregnant.  Ultimately it is your decision as to what you choose to eat.  Some women are happy enough with the turnover rate and hygiene practices of some establishments and will consume salads.  All salads should be well washed and dried.  If you are consuming salads, then take the opportunity to add in some legumes such as chickpeas or 4 bean mix or some sweet potato or corn and skip the heavy cream dressings.

A roast:

The meat carvery can be a danger but if you skip the fatty lamb or the pork crackling and go for leaner beef or chicken (skin off!) and stock up on the roast veggies (think less potato, more onion, pumpkin, peas, etc.) you can still end up with a nutritious and satisfying lunch.  A grilled piece of fish with greens is also an excellent choice!

Still not sure what should you eat when you are pregnant?

Contact Dr Rahul Sen's dietitian and discuss your pregnancy diet plan.

It’s quite common to experience leg cramps during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester. Nearly half of all pregnant women suffer from muscle spasms in their legs, with cramping more frequent during the evening.

What causes leg cramps during pregnancy?

Leg cramps may be caused by the additional weight gain of pregnancy and changes in your circulation. Pressure from the growing baby may also be placed on the nerves and blood vessels that go to your legs. This pressure or pinching may be the cause of your leg cramps.

What can you do to treat leg cramps during pregnancy?

There are a few things that you can do to treat leg cramps or prevent them from occurring.

We listed a couple of interventions that may help you avoid leg crumbs:

If you have any questions regarding pregnancy planning, contact Dr Rahul Sen  - obstetrician from Prince of Wales Private Hospital.

In most cases, an ectopic pregnancy is treated right away to avoid rupture and severe blood loss. The decision about which treatment to use depends on how early the pregnancy is detected and women's overall condition. For an early ectopic pregnancy that is not causing bleeding, you may have a choice between using medicine or surgery to end the pregnancy.

Medicine

Using methotrexate to end an ectopic pregnancy spares you from an incision and general anaesthesia. But it does cause side effects and can take several weeks of hormone blood-level testing to make sure that treatment has worked.

Surgery

If you have an ectopic pregnancy that is causing severe symptoms, bleeding or high hCG levels, surgery is usually needed. It's because medicine is less likely to work and a rupture becomes more likely as time passes. When possible, laparoscopic surgery that uses a small incision is done. For a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, emergency surgery is required.

Expectant management

For an early ectopic pregnancy that appears to be naturally miscarrying (aborting) on its own, you may not need treatment. Your doctor will regularly test your blood to make sure that your pregnancy hormone (hCG, or human chorionic gonadotropin) levels are dropping. This is called expectant management.

Surgery versus medicine

Methotrexate is usually the first treatment choice for ending an early ectopic pregnancy. Regular follow-up blood tests are needed for days to weeks after the medicine is injected.

There are different types of surgery for a tubal ectopic pregnancy. As long as you have one healthy fallopian tube, salpingostomy (small tubal slit) and salpingectomy (part of a tube removed) have about the same effect on your future fertility. But if your other tube is damaged, your doctor may try to do a salpingostomy. This may improve your chances of getting pregnant in the future.

Although surgery is a faster treatment, it can cause scar tissue that could cause future pregnancy problems. Tubal surgery may damage the fallopian tube, depending on where and how big the embryo is and the type of surgery needed.

Surgery may be your only treatment option if you have internal bleeding.

If you would like to find out more about ectopic pregnancy, visit our Prince of Wales Private Obstetricians website. 

If you are planning a pregnancy in the nearest future, it is important to think about your maternity leave.

Sometimes a few months could be the difference between whether or not you’re entitled to take leave or whether you are eligible for a maternity leave payment.

That’s why in today’s article we would like to help you understand your situation when it comes to maternity leave entitlement in Australia.

Here are five important maternity leave questions you should ask yourself before you decide to have a baby.

1. What are your personal circumstances?

2. What is your financial situation?

Preparing for the baby’s arrival can cost a lot of money. Setting up a nursery might be expensive and of course there are ongoing costs as your child grows.

3. Are you entitled to any Government assistance?

The Federal government offers various regular payments to help towards the cost of raising children, many of which are dependent upon your level of income.

4. What is your employer’s maternity leave policy?

Maternity leave offered by different companies across Australia vary widely.

5. Have you made any backup plan in case of unexpected changes in circumstance?

Find out more about pregnancy planning here:

Unless you are vegetarian, it’s ideal to have seafood feature in your diet regularly!  This may include white fish, pink/oily fish and shellfish such as prawns, lobster, bugs as well as scallops and mussels.

Seafood gives you a valuable source of protein, B vitamins, iron, zinc and especially iodine and omega-3 fatty acids.  The iodine and fatty acids are particularly important for your baby’s growing brain, which is actually made up of around 70% fat.  Studies are ongoing about the many important benefits both iodine and fatty acids may provide-especially surrounding neural development and future intellect.

Many women are confused about the guidelines for including seafood in their diet due to concerns regarding food safety.  The main issue is surrounding mercury, which is a heavy metal that can build up in the tissues of bigger fish when they eat the smaller fish.  In Australia however there are very few fish that present this concern.  Tinned fish is also considered safe, and often a very convenient way of getting your intake up!

Below is a table from our national Food Authority (FSANZ) that outlines the guidelines for you in pregnancy:

Safe levels of fish/seafood consumption in pregnancy (1 serve = 150g)

2-3 serves per week of any fish/ seafood (this includes canned fish) not listed below

OR

1 serve per week of Sea Perch (Orange Roughy) or Catfish AND no other fish that week

OR

1 serve per fortnight of Shark (Flake) or Swordfish/Broadbill/Marlin AND no other fish that fortnight

Keep in mind a small tin of salmon, sardines or tuna may only provide just over half of this serving size, so having tuna most days of the week as a lunch option is not a concern-though variety is always advised!

It is preferable to include seafood in your diet several times a week rather than taking fish oil supplements.

It is important that when you consume seafood in pregnancy that you ensure it is well cooked-that means no sashimi but also items such as chilled prawns (even though they are pre-cooked) should be avoided.  Hot prawns or shellfish are safe as part of a hot dish.  I advise women to avoid all oysters in pregnancy, just in case of hepatitis infection.