t: 020 8746 5945 Kensington Wing (24 hrs)
e: laura@chelseabirthclinic.co.uk
Our Services
The Chelsea Birth Clinic offers a comprehensive
range of services for pregnant women.
Ultrasound baby scans
Early dating scan (6 – 10 weeks)
The purpose of an early dating scan is to:
- confirm that your baby is developing normally in the first trimester of pregnancy
- date your pregnancy in order to estimate when your baby is due
- reveal if you are carrying one baby, twins or more
- detect your baby's heartbeat
- rule out the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy
- confirm that the baby is developing in the correct place within the uterus
Please contact our practice manager, Laura, for prices. You may require a transvaginal scan, depending on the position of your uterus.
Nuchal Scan (11 – 13 weeks)
The purpose of a nuchal scan is to:
- allow the sonographer to measure the volume of translucent fluid in the space behind your baby's neck
- estimate your baby's risk of having chromosomal abnormalities such as Downs Syndrome, Edwards, Patau and Turner Syndrome, based on the amount of fluid found
- determine whether more invasive diagnostic testing, such as CVS or amniocentesis, is necessary
- examine your baby's heart in greater detail
- determine your baby's sex (in around 70% of cases)
A routine blood test will also be performed during a nuchal scan.
Anomaly Scan (17 – 24 weeks)
The purpose of an anomaly scan is to:- check that your baby is developing normally at the mid pregnancy stage
- look at where the placenta is lying in your uterus
- take various measurements to make sure that your baby's growth is on track
- check all your baby's body parts for conditions such as cleft lip and palate, spina bifida, and any abnormalities of the brain, heart and other organs
- determine your baby's sex if it couldn't be determined during the nuchal scan
Well being Scan (24 – 34 weeks)
The purpose of a wellbeing scan is to:
- determine the growth and health of the baby by taking body measurements and estimating your baby's weight
- measure the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
- assess the blood flow to your baby from the placenta
- assess the position in which your baby is lying in the womb, ie posterior or breech
Gynaecology Care
We refer pelvic scans and gynaecology care to the Women's Wellness Centre in Chelsea. A range of services are provided by consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists at the centre. Other professionals who practice from the centre include midwives, obstetric physicians, fertility specialists, ultrasound specialists, specialists in sexual health, physiotherapists, osteopaths, psychologists, nutritionists and acupuncturists.
Appointments can be obtained from the staff at the Women's Wellness Centre or directly from consultants with practising privileges at the centre. The main contact number is 020 7751 4488. Further details can be found on the Women's Wellness Centre website: www.womenswellnesscentre.com
Cervical Suture
Cervical suture or cerclage is a surgical procedure whereby a stitch is inserted into the cervix (neck of the womb) to try to keep it closed. This is used to treat a condition where the cervix has become prematurely open and there is a risk of miscarriage or premature birth.
The procedure is usually performed at about 12 weeks of pregnancy, but in some cases it is done before pregnancy. There are 3 main types of cerclage, one of which will be recommended to you, depending on your views and specific needs:
- Macdonald and Shirodkar cerclage are performed by operating from the vagina.
- An abdominal cerclage involves a bikini-line cut to the abdomen.
- An occlusion stitch is inserted vaginally and offered to all patients undergoing cervical cerclage to try and hold the mucus plug inside the cervix for as long as possible.
Under normal circumstances, the cervix should remain tightly closed until labour occurs at about 37 weeks of pregnancy. In some women it opens early however, and, depending on the number of weeks of pregnancy, this may result in a late miscarriage or premature birth. There are several reasons why this may happen, but in women who have previously had surgery to their cervix or one or more miscarriages after 12 weeks or one or more premature births, it may be because the cervix is weak. In these women, cervical cerclage may strengthen the cervix and help the pregnancy progress until the expected time of birth.
Nick Wales performs cervical suture procedures.
Early Dating Scan / Nuchal Scan / Anomaly Scan / Well-Being Scan / Multiple Births / C-Sections
The Chelsea Birth Clinic 204 Fulham Road, London SW10 9PJ
t: 020 7349 5204 t: 020 8746 5945 Kensington Wing (24 hrs) e: laura@chelseabirthclinic.co.uk
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