Finding out the gender of your baby
By Beata Anderson Some people love the suspense of not knowing the sex of their baby until the delivery. But some of us can’t wait to find out much sooner. Only a medical professional with relevant training can reliably determine the sex of a baby. Yet, this doesn’t...
Why should I come to my scan with a full bladder?
We commonly ask you to arrive for your pregnancy or pelvic scan with a comfortably full bladder, having asked you to drink 1 to 1.5 litres of water about an hour before your scan appointment. But why do we ask you to do this when it can be uncomfortable, and what is...
What is IVF?
IVF is the shortened name for In Vitro Fertilisation. Literally this means fertilisation of an egg by a sperm in a laboratory, instead of taking place inside the body. Once the egg is fertilised it becomes an embryo. The embryo is grown for several days under the...
Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy
Most people know that smoking in pregnancy is harmful to both mum and baby, but as nicotine is addictive, stopping smoking is far easier said than done! Each cigarette contains over 4000 chemicals, and it is these that can harm your unborn baby. Smoking reduces the...
What is a placenta?
Written by Beata Anderson The placenta is an organ that develops in your uterus during pregnancy. This structure provides oxygen and nutrients to your growing baby and removes waste products from your baby's blood. The placenta attaches to the wall of your uterus, and...