Maternity Care
Antenatal Care & Screening
Ultrasound Screening
Postnatal Care
Child Birth & C-Section Delivery
The EMC Practice offers a full range of services to Expectant Mothers and those wanting to start a family.
The body of a mother goes through various changes during pregnancy. Antenatal care (also known as prenatal or perinatal care) refers to the health care provided to a pregnant woman.
The goal of antenatal care is to provide pregnant women with regular check-ups so that both the mother and child stay healthy. During these check-ups, the Doctor will enlighten the expectant mother about the physiological and biological changes that take place during pregnancy, antenatal nutrition and possibly even suggest vitamins and supplements which are indicated for pregnant women.
Increased antenatal care has helped to reduce the rate of miscarriages, maternal death, birth defects and neonatal infections. Antenatal care and check-ups have become extremely important, especially, when a woman conceives after the age of 35. With increasing age, the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure raises the risk of pregnancy complications.
When should I start getting Antenatal Care?
You can start getting Antenatal care as soon as you know you’re pregnant.
In fact, it’s recommended to see Doctor as soon as you decide to start a family. Pre-pregnancy care and planning ensures that your body and mind are better prepared for all the changes that will most certainly effect you. But if, as life often does, presents you with the unexpected news that you are already pregnant, we urge you to see Doctor as soon as possible.
How often will I need to see Doctor during my pregnancy?
This is determined by several factors. The basic ones are:
- How far along your pregnancy is when you first start getting antenatal care.
- How high your risk is for complications.
The typical Antenatal Care schedule for a healthy woman who is 18 – 35 years old, with no pre-existing conditions that will require extra care and monitoring, is:
- Every 4 or 6 weeks for the first 32 weeks
- Every 2 or 3 weeks for the 32nd – 37th weeks
- Every week from the 37th week until delivery
Doctor may ask you to have more check-ups if you have a high-risk pregnancy. Each women is different, and the way your body reacts to being pregnant is just as unique as you are.
Maternal factors that affect pregnancy
Each women is different, and the way your body reacts to being pregnant is just as unique as you are.
There are several maternal factors that determine how your pregnancy will be affected. Many of these are centered around:
- your age
- your weight (obesity/high BMI)
- previous pregnancies
- your lifestyle
- pre-existing medical conditions
- maternal stress and mental health
- environmental exposures (for example smoking, alcohol and pollution)
- genetics/epigenetics
- nutrition
EMC Maternity Care
Our Doctor
Dr Doorewaard is a Family Practitioner who specialises in Genecology and Reproductive Medicine. Dr Doorewaard also has 30 years of experience in Gynaecology and Obstetric sonars.
The Birthing Team
The care provided to both the mother and child during labour and delivery, requires a team effort. Dr Doorewaard’s team is made up of very competent individuals who trust each other implicitly. This is as a result of their combined expertise due to working together for many years.
Facilities & Location
Dr Doorewaard performs an ultrasound scan at each antenatal appointment. The AMPATH laboratory is conveniently located on our premises for blood tests and screenings and we are in close proximity to CORMED and EMFULENI MEDI CLINIC, the two private hospitals that Doctor makes use of.
EMC Maternity Care
Our Doctor
Dr Doorewaard is a Family Practitioner who specialises in Genecology and Reproductive Medicine. Dr Doorewaard also has 30 years of experience in Gynaecology and Obstetric sonars.
The Birthing Team
The care provided to both the mother and child during labour and delivery, requires a team effort. Dr Doorewaard’s team is made up of very competent individuals who trust each other implicitly. This is as a result of their combined expertise due to working together for many years.
Facilities & Location
Dr Doorewaard performs an ultrasound scan at each antenatal appointment. The AMPATH laboratory is conveniently located on our premises for blood tests and screenings and we are in close proximity to CORMED and EMFULENI MEDI CLINIC, the two private hospitals that Doctor makes use of.
EMC Maternity Care
Our Doctor
Dr Doorewaard is a Family Practitioner who specialises in Genecology and Reproductive Medicine. Dr Doorewaard also has 30 years of experience in Gynaecology and Obstetric sonars.
The Birthing Team
The care provided to both the mother and child during labour and delivery, requires a team effort. Dr Doorewaard’s team is made up of very competent individuals who trust each other implicitly. This is as a result of their combined expertise due to working together for many years.
Facilities & Location
Dr Doorewaard performs an ultrasound scan at each antenatal appointment. The AMPATH laboratory is conveniently located on our premises for blood tests and screenings and we are in close proximity to CORMED and EMFULENI MEDI CLINIC, the two private hospitals that Doctor makes use of.
What happens at my First Antenatal Care appointment?
Your first antenatal care visit is usually the longest one. You’ll talk with Doctor about your medical history, that of the baby’s father, and your family medical history.
Doctor will then give you a complete check-up, usually with a physical exam and blood and urine tests to make sure you’re healthy.
This can include:
- measuring your height, weight, blood pressure, breathing and pulse rate
- a breast exam
- a pelvic exam
- testing for infections and screening for conditions and diseases such as diabetes, anemia, hepatitis B and rubella.
Doctor may also wish to talk with you about your diet, lifestyle and antenatal vitamins. He will recommend those that he feels are best suited to you and your condition and give you advice about any changes you can make to have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
PLEASE NOTE: Another vital aspect of your first visit is to tell Doctor about each and every medicine, supplement, natural remedy or drug you may be using. Certain medicines, supplements and natural remedies are extremely dangerous to use during pregnancy. It is imperative that you discuss the use of these with Doctor before starting any new ones.
What happens at my follow-up Antenatal Care appointments?
- During your follow-up prenatal care visits, Doctor will examine you to make sure your pregnancy is developing well, and that you and your baby are healthy.
- These visits are a perfect opportunity to ask Doctor any questions and discuss any concerns that may have arisen since your last visit.
- Doctor may also recommend specific tests, depending on your age and other risk factors. Some people have a higher risk for problems and birth defects than others.
Why do I have to have Antenatal tests?
There are several essential medical tests that need to be performed between conception and delivery. This can at times seem overwhelming, but there are two lives at stake during this time, and it’s vitally important to make sure they both remain healthy. By taking the right tests at the right times, you will be ensuring the best possible chance of that happening. We make this information available to you, not to scare you, but to ensure that you are informed, thus assisting you to relieve the stress of your visits to Doctor and allowing you to focus on what truly matters; enjoying the anticipation of bringing a new life into the world.
Tests to expect while you’re expecting
Ultrasound Scan (also known as a sonogram)
You can expect to have an Ultrasound scan by Dr Doorewaard at each visit. An ultrasound is a safe and painless way to see inside your body. It shows you and Doctor an image of your uterus and your baby.
Depending on how far along your pregnancy is, ultrasound images help your doctor:
- estimate your due date
see the position of the placenta - see the size, position, movement, breathing, and heart rate of the baby
- see the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus
- find multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.)
- Ultrasounds can also be used to screen for certain birth defects, like Down Syndrome.
How does an ultrasound work?
- Ultrasounds use high frequency sound waves to create pictures of your baby and reproductive organs (like your uterus and cervix).
- There are two ways to do an ultrasound during pregnancy — through the skin on your abdomen (belly), or through the inside of your vagina.
- During an abdominal ultrasound, the doctor puts a little bit of gel on your stomach and rubs the ultrasound wand over your skin. The gel is cold and you might feel a little bit of pressure, but it’s not painful.
- During a vaginal ultrasound, the doctor puts an ultrasound wand into your vagina. It feels like a regular vaginal exam.
- You may feel a little bit of pressure, but no pain.
- You can expect to have a detailed scan in the 1st and 2nd trimesters sometimes by a sonographer.
Tests done at 13 Weeks
Antenatal profile blood test that include testing for Down Syndrome and HIV screening (blood test and scan).
A NIPT option is also available. NIPT stands for noninvasive prenatal testing. It’s a screening test to see if the baby is at risk for having a chromosomal disorder like Down Syndrome. The test can also determine the sex of the baby. It’s done by taking a sample of your blood, which also contains fragments of DNA from the baby.
Tests done at 17 Weeks
An ultrasound or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood test is conducted to check for signs of Spina Bifida such as the open spine.
After 32 Weeks
1 or 2 cardiotocograms (CTG) are performed and this measures your baby’s heart rate via an ultrasound transducer placed on your abdomen.
