Personalised Private Maternity Care
Many women would like continuity of care throughout their pregnancy. Dr Bakalis offers a pregnancy care package that incorporates care from early in your pregnancy, through to delivery of your baby and for the first six weeks after you have given birth. If you select this package, you will have Dr Bakalis’ 24/7 personal mobile contact number.
Personal and flexible
Dr Bakalis aims to provide care that is both personalised – to ensure that it is based around each mother’s needs – but flexible to be able to respond to any changes or complications that may arise. Dr Bakalis bases his care on best practice to maintain the highest safety standards for both mother and baby.
Delivery of your baby
You and Dr Bakalis will plan the delivery of your baby to ensure the experience is both safe and emotionally satisfying. The mode of delivery would be discussed with you on an individual basis to ensure each mother has all the facts available whilst she chooses the best way for her to deliver her baby.
Postnatal Care
After your baby is born, you will still have access to Dr Bakalis both during any hospital stay or once you have gone home. The Personalised Private Maternity Care package includes any appointments for up to six weeks after your delivery.
Schedule of your care
- Antenatal appointments at 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 41 weeks.
- There may be fewer appointments if this is not your first pregnancy
- Delivery of your baby
- Postnatal appointments
Contact and Enquiries
For any further information or to book a private consultation with Dr Bakalis please contact his secretary Maria.
Caesarean section only
Some women may decide that a Caesarean section delivery is the best choice of delivery for them. At times, this decision is made late in pregnancy. Women desiring a Caesarean section delivery without private antenatal care can book for this alone. Dr Bakalis will arrange a consultation and ultrasound scan and discuss the options with you.
Ultrasound Scans
Dr Bakalis uses his 10 year ultrasound experience to personally perform all your ultrasound scans from 12 weeks onwards. He is also qualified to perform any invasive procedures (e.g. CVS and amniocentesis) that you may require.
Nuchal Translucency scan
This scan is usually performed through the tummy (transabdominally) between 11 weeks and 3 days to 13 weeks and 6 days. It allows confirmation that there is a heartbeat, and the number of fetuses present. It offers an early opportunity to diagnose major fetal abnormalities but does not replace the need for the 20-week anomaly scan. Finally, it allows for the assessment risks of Down’s syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. This is done by combining the age of the mother, measurements from the scan and a blood test which measures two hormones in the mother’s blood giving an individualised risk. He then provides full counselling regarding these risks and the various options for further investigations, including both non-invasive and invasive testing (see CVS and NIPT).
Reassurance and sexing scans
These are carried out between 14 and 20 weeks. They are not essential, though some women do request them for reassurance, or if they have had problems in either their previous or the current pregnancy. They involve measurements of the baby’s head, tummy, leg and amniotic fluid, and review of the placenta. These measurements are plotted on a graph and you will show your baby’s growth progress.
Anomaly scans
This is a detailed scan at 20-23 weeks of pregnancy. During this scan, Dr Bakalis will take measurements of the baby’s head, tummy leg and amniotic fluid, and review of placenta. He will also carefully examine each part of the baby’s body: the brain, face, spine, heart, chest, stomach, bowel, kidneys and limbs. Though the vast majority of these scans do not reveal any problems, if any abnormalities are detected the significance of the findings will be discussed and full counselling will be provided, including the option for further invasive testing (see Amniocentesis).
Cervical length scans
These scans are internal (transvaginal) and are performed to measure the length of the cervix. They are recommended in women with a high risk for preterm birth, for example those with a previous preterm birth, previous operations on the cervix, or women with a known abnormality of the uterus. The scan is usually done at the same time as the anomaly scan (20-23 weeks). Some women will be advised to have a series of scans from 16 weeks.
Fetal growth scans (wellbeing) with Doppler studies
This ultrasound is done any time after 24 weeks and involves the measurement of the baby’s head, tummy, leg and amniotic fluid and review of the placenta. These measurements allow an estimation of your baby’s weight, which Dr Bakalis will plot on a graph to show you your baby’s growth. The Doppler studies allow assessment of blood flow to the baby and placenta. If there are any concerns raised at these scans, Dr Bakalis will talk you through the plan for the pregnancy to ensure that both your baby and you remain safe.
Contact and Enquiries
For any further information or to book a private consultation with Dr Bakalis please contact his secretary Maria.
Individual obstetric consultations
Occasionally women not under Dr Bakalis’ care want to discuss specific aspects of their pregnancy or request a second opinion. Dr Bakalis offers consultations to these women to advise them regarding their care.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) – The SAFE Test
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is a blood test taken from the mother in pregnancy. The blood is taken to the lab, and the baby’s DNA is extracted. This DNA is then analysed and allows for an assessment of whether her baby has a high chance of certain chromosomal conditions. This test is more accurate than ultrasound screening for detecting Down’s syndrome, however, it should not replace an ultrasound, as this allows direct visualisation of the baby and evaluation of the baby’s size and anatomy.
The SAFE test can be done from 10 weeks onwards, and is suitable for all singleton pregnancies, as well as identical twins, and women who have had IVF – including those with egg donation.
There are many different NIPT available and Dr Bakalis is happy to discuss or review the results of any of these as part of your care.
More information regarding the SAFE test can be found at the following website: St Georges Hospital.
Invasive procedures
Chorionic Villous Sampling (CVS)
This test, which is always done under ultrasound guidance, is carried out between 11+3 and 14 weeks. It is an option for women with either a high risk of Down’s syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. During this test, which is done through the tummy, you will have a local anaesthetic given to you to numb your skin. A needle is then passed through your skin, through the uterus, and into the placenta, from which a small sample is taken. This is then sent to the laboratory, and the sample analysed for the baby’s genetic makeup. There is a risk of miscarriage from this procedure of 1%.
Amniocentesis
This test, which is always done under ultrasound guidance, is usually carried between 16 and 22 weeks of gestation. It involves a very fine needle being passed through the skin on your tummy, into the uterus and through to the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. A small amount of fluid is then removed. This is then sent to the laboratory, and the sample analysed for the baby’s genetic makeup. There is a risk of miscarriage from this procedure of 1%.