Prepare Mercy Perinatal

In this episode, Ali is joined by guest co-host, Professor Sue Walker AO, maternal fetal medicine sub-specialist at the Mercy Hospital for Women, and Co-Director of Mercy Perinatal.

Ali and Sue discuss COVID-19 in pregnancy and labour and answer your burning questions, such as:
What does a COVID-19 infection mean for me and my baby?Are COVID-19 vaccines safe in pregnancy?Do I need to tell my healthcare provider if I have COVID-19?Does COVID-19 change my pregnancy care and birth plan?Can I still breastfeed?Where can I get more information on COVID-19 in pregnancy?As discussed in the episode, Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), is a good source of information, you can visit their website here, as well as talking to your healthcare provider.

In this episode Ali and Rangi chat with Professor Lisa Hui about Congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV), and discuss what is cCMV, how it is contracted, and what it means for your pregnancy and your child later in life, and also what actions you can take to prevent it.

Prof Lisa Hui is a maternal fetal medicine specialist with research interests in cell-free fetal nucleic acids, prenatal screening and diagnosis. She is a Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne and Team Leader in the MCRI Reproductive Epidemiology group. She holds clinical appointments at the Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg VIC, and The Northern Hospital, Epping VIC.

As discussed in the episode, CMV Australia has resources and information available to families who are interested in learning more, you can visit their webpage here: https://www.cmv.org.au/

Resource for Clinicians: CPD Education Module, Infections in Pregnancy, What's new in congenital CMV and syphilis

In this episode Rangi and Ali welcome back Professor Stephen Tong to Prepare. Prof Tong is a specialist obstetrician at the Mercy Hospital for Women, Professor at The University of Melbourne, Co-Director of Mercy Perinatal and author of The Birth Book.

With Prof Tong, the team discuss Preeclampsia, what is it, how common is it, what does a diagnosis mean for you and your baby, how is it treated, what are the symptoms and what is on the horizon for treatment. 

In this episode, Ali and Rangi chat with Associate Professor Fiona Brownfoot about Fetal Monitoring, and discuss key points, including:
What is Fetal Monitoring?Why does my baby need Fetal Monitoring?What does Fetal Monitoring involve? What are the different methods?When does Fetal Monitoring start in a pregnancy?How long does it take?What does the future look like for Fetal Monitoring?A/Prof Fiona Brownfoot is a specialist female obstetrician in Melbourne with extensive qualifications and experience in obstetrics and gynaecology. A/Prof Brownfoot is an obstetrician at the Mercy Hospital for Women and Epworth Freemasons, and is a clinician scientist at The University of Melbourne. She leads a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists focused on developing therapeutics and diagnostics to treat the most dangerous pregnancy complications. A/Prof Brownfoot is also co-founder of Kali Healthcare.
Please note that this episode briefly mentions miscarriage/pregnancy loss, which can be distressing to some listeners. Resources are available such as through Sands Australia via their webpage www.sands.org.au or their 24/7 phone support - 1300 308 307.

Trimesters, placenta, term, uterus, cervix, gestation, vernix, amniotic sac, prenatal, antenatal, postnatal, perinatal... oh my!

In this episode, Ali and Rangi go over and break down some common terms you'll hear on your pregnancy journey.

In this episode Ali and Rangi chat with Associate Professor Lisa Hui about Genetic Screening, and discuss what is screened, how screening occurs and when, the costs associated with screening, and follow up testing that may occur.

A/Prof Lisa Hui is a maternal fetal medicine specialist with research interests in cell-free fetal nucleic acids, prenatal screening and diagnosis. She is Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Melbourne and Team Leader in the MCRI Reproductive Epidemiology group. She holds clinical appointments at the Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg VIC, and The Northern Hospital, Epping VIC.

As discussed in the episode, Down Syndrome Australia has resources available to families who are interested in learning more, you can visit their webpage here: https://www.downsyndrome.org.au

Please note that this episode briefly mentions miscarriage/pregnancy loss, which can be distressing to some listeners. Resources are available such as through Sands Australia via their webpage www.sands.org.au or their 24/7 phone support - 1300 308 307.