Obstetrician Joondalup

Why choose a private obstetrician?

If you are planning a family and you are doubting between delivering your baby in the public system versus the private system, then this information is for you.

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In a nutshell

When you are looking into public or private pregnancy care, it’s important to understand the main differences. The public system has a few limitations and you won’t have those in the private sector.
The most common reason to choose a private obstetrician is continuity of care with the same team.
In the private system, you are staying in a private room when you have your baby, and your partner may also be staying overnight. Your hospital stay is also longer, allowing you to recover well whilst getting crucial support.

Public or private obstetrician Joondalup

Public vs private obstetrician: What are the main differences?

You may be reading this as you consider starting a family. Or you may have just discovered that you are pregnant and you are doing your research to find the best obstetrician in Perth. No matter what situation you are in, it is always a good thing to be well informed about your options.

In Australia, it is possible to choose between giving birth in the public system or in the private system. If you choose the public system, your pregnancy and birth care are mostly free. That in itself is often one of the main reasons why patients give birth in the public system.

Here at Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group, our private obstetricians still maintain public appointments at Joondalup Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital. So we know both systems very well. Allow us to guide you through the main differences in this overview.

1. Limitations of the public system

Our public hospitals and training facilities are run by the Government. Often and unbeknown to public patients, their care delivery is caught by service provision limitations. There is often not enough time for women to be appropriately heard. Often, there is not enough time for adequate antenatal education and informed decision-making. It’s not that the obstetricians and midwives are doing an average job. It is simply that there are system constraints that limit their ability to provide the truly patient-centred care that you deserve.

At Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology group we do not have these limitations simply because the Government system does not apply to our private practice.

2. Continuity of care

One of the most common reasons to choose a private obstetrician is the continuity of care you receive as an expecting mother. It means that you choose your own private obstetrician and after that, you see the same obstetrician for every appointment during your antenatal care journey.

In the public system, your pregnancy would be managed by multiple doctors and midwives and it may involve shared care with your GP. In many cases, you would deliver your baby with an obstetrician you haven’t met before.

3. Hospital stay

As a private patient, you deliver your baby in a private hospital. You will have your own room and your partner may be able to stay overnight. In a public hospital, you often have to share your room with other mothers… and other babies.

4. Length of hospital stay

In the private system you may be able to stay in the hospital for a longer period of time. Mothers tell me how important that is for their recovery. A longer hospital stay also allows for more support in that crucial first week after childbirth.

5. Extras at Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group

Every private obstetrician is different, and we aim to provide extra service levels to all our mums and families. So, what sets us apart?

As said, we take care of your whole family and we are happy to organise work certificates for partners.
We limit our number of private patients to allow an extraordinary level of service.
We make the time for you and your family, we want to understand what you expect from your journey and what concerns you may have.
We allow after-hours and weekend appointments to assist your whole family.
We offer remote foetal monitoring.
We offer blood pressure devices to allow you to monitor your blood pressure at home.
We offer Telehealth appointments.
We offer free online antenatal classes.

Services at Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group

List of obstetric services

Antenatal care

At Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group we are passionate about the level of service we offer during your pregnancy journey. Our antenatal care services are the backbone of what makes our private practice unique.

We care for the whole family, not just for you as an expecting mum.
We make time for you and are available 24/7, and that also means weekend appointments or after-hours appointments.
We offer remote foetal monitoring for peace of mind.
We offer free online antenatal classes.

There’s even more. We have listed all our antenatal care services and frequently asked questions here.

Birth and delivery

During your antenatal care, we work towards the day you will give birth and we will explain your birthing options, including natural birth, VBAC, elective c-section, assisted maternal c-section, and hypnobirthing.

When the day arrives, we will try and follow your birth plan, bearing in mind that your safety and your baby’s safety always come first.

We have listed all your birthing options here.

Breech birth

If your baby is not lying in the usual head-first position, you may feel distressed. A breech position is very common in the early stages of your pregnancy, but when it happens towards the end of your pregnancy, it is considered high-risk.

If your baby doesn’t change position, we might need to turn him or her into a head-first position. Some mothers prefer a c-section in this case.

As private obstetricians here in Joondalup, it’s our role to assist you with a safe pregnancy and birthing experience, taking your preferences on board and guiding you through a unique and life-changing experience.

Cervical weakness

If your cervix, or the lower part of the uterus, softens too early and loses its normal firmness, this may lead to preterm labour. This condition is called cervical weakness, or incompetent cervix.

If this happens, we will organise extra monitoring with ultrasounds, and in some cases, we may use sutures to close the cervix (cervical cerclage).

We understand this may be stressful and here at Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group, we are available 24/7 to provide answers and solutions to your questions and concerns as much as we can.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes in pregnancy. It’s a condition in which your blood sugar levels become high and usually, it disappears after your baby is born.

All pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes. This usually happens at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy, except for women who have pre-existing diabetes. If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, we can help you manage your condition with the right level of exercise, a healthy diet, and medication, if need be.

Gestational hypertension

High blood pressure during pregnancy or gestational hypertension requires close monitoring. This condition is diagnosed in the second half of your pregnancy, when there’s no excess protein in your urine samples and your blood pressure readings are higher than 140/90 mm Hg (compared to a normal blood pressure in the first half of your pregnancy).

Gestational hypertension differs from preeclampsia, however, some women with gestational hypertension eventually develop preeclampsia.

If you’re concerned about high blood pressure, Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group offers blood pressure management. We simply give you a blood pressure machine, which allows you to monitor your blood pressure at home, giving you peace of mind at all times.

High-risk pregnancy

You may feel distressed if your pregnancy is flagged as a high-risk pregnancy. Specific factors that may lead to a high-risk diagnosis are:

You’re older than 35.
You have a preexisting condition such as high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease, heart or blood disorder, …
You’re expecting twins or multiple babies.
There are complications that have developed during your pregnancy.
You’ve had previous preeclampsia.

When your pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy, we will see you more frequently and schedule extra ultrasounds.

When you choose Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group, you will see the same obstetrician and the same team throughout your pregnancy. That’s just one of the advantages of having a private obstetrician, and most high-risk patients tell us they value this aspect during their journey.

Pelvic organ prolapse treatment

Pelvic organ prolapse or POP is common. It’s a condition in which a pelvic organ sags, bulges or protrudes in the vagina. Childbirth is the main cause of POP.

There are treatment options, and we have listed all of them here.

Postnatal care

Postnatal care refers to all the checkups you and your newborn will need after you have given birth.

Most private obstetricians offer one postnatal appointment, but Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group offer two appointments in the first 6 weeks after you have given birth. There’s one at 3 weeks and one at 6 weeks. We believe it’s a massive responsibility to care for your newborn, and postnatal care is essential to improve your life and that of your family.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious condition that may occur in the second half of your pregnancy or even after childbirth. You may have preeclampsia when there’s protein in your urine sample in combination with high blood pressure.

It’s critical to check for indications because preeclampsia can be fatal to you and your baby.

If you’re concerned that you may develop preeclampsia, we offer a blood pressure device for you to take home. If there is any sign of this condition we will see you more frequently.

Shared pregnancy care

Joondalup Obstetrics and Gynaecology Group offers shared pregnancy care.

VBAC

A Vaginal Birth After Caesarean, or VBAC, is a natural birth after a previous c-section.

If you consider a VBAC, please talk to us.

It is possible, however, we have to assess your individual situation and look at the reasons why you had a c-section before.