Pregnancy Care at The Heights Medical Centre

Welcome to the most amazing experience in your life: pregnancy, birthing and family life. For us, it is a privilege to be invited to be part of this very special journey.

As you may have already realised, HSE supports certain visits during your pregnancy. You can find information on these visits in the Combined Obstetric Card your doctor would give you. These visits are at 12^th, 24^th, 28^th, 30^th, 32^nd, 34^th, 36^th, 37^th, 38^th, 39^th and 40^th weeks. If it is your first pregnancy, you attend our Medical Centre for free antenatal visits 6 times at the 12^th, 24^th, 32^nd, 36^th, 38^th, 40^th weeks of your pregnancy. In case this is not your first pregnancy, you will have 7 consultations at the 12^th, 24^th, 28^th, 32^nd, 36^th, 38^th, 40^th weeks, free of charge. In case you develop diabetes or high blood pressure in relation to your pregnancy, a few extra visits are covered by the HSE. Please note that visits unrelated to your pregnancy are not covered by the free antenatal care.

During your consultations, you might expect the following examinations covered by the free antenatal care under HSE protocol; with your consent, you will be weighed, height measured, your blood pressure taken and your urine tested. Also, we check the baby’s heart beat from the 12^th week.

To help us ensure that your care is tailored to your needs throughout your pregnancy, we would like to meet you fairly early on, ideally around weeks 7 or 8. Since we aim to be flexible in how we provide your antenatal care; your appointments will be arranged on dates and times that suit you and your partner as far as possible.

At The Heights Medical Centre, we can offer the following additional services not covered by the free HSE antenatal service. The fee is payable at the time of the consultation.

At the first contact visit before the 12^th week – ideally at weeks 7 or 8

This is a very exciting time for both you and your family. We are keen to meet you so that together we can develop a plan for your pregnancy. This visit might cover the followings:

• Registration for the antenatal scheme and sending a referral letter to the hospital for antenatal consultation, measuring your weight, height, checking your blood pressure, checking your urine. Free of charge.
• You might have an early pregnancy scan to determine the number of babies, exclude ectopic pregnancy and to check the baby’s heartbeat. This also includes testing the level of your pregnancy hormone to see if the pregnancy is viable. For more information, please click here. These examinations cost €100.00.
• Your doctor is happy to certify your pregnancy and your due date if your employer is requesting the same. The fee is €25.00 and the same fee applies when requesting s fit-to-fly certificate.
• We are happy to offer you the Harmony prenatal test (also known as Prena test). This is an advanced blood test to assess the risk of fetal trisomies and to check the fetal sex. This test can be done after the 10^th week. For more details, please click here. The fee payable is €500.00.
• Should you wish, we are able to test your blood for blood group, full blood count, blood sugar, general check up, thyroid function, iron studies, rubella titer. We also provide screening for HIV, Hepatitis B and syphilis. The cost of blood test id €20.00.
• You may request further blood tests including the TORCH test (toxoplasma, rubeola, cytomegalovirus and herpes virus 1-2). The cost of this test is €180.00.
• We also offer ECG to check your heart for €40.00.

Second consultation at 12^th weeks

• During this visit, we check your blood pressure, urine and weight. We can check the baby’s heartbeat with a featal Doppler machine. Cost is €50.00.
• We can offer dating your pregnancy by ultrasound scan and to check the baby’s viability. We can also check the baby’s size, development and your accurate Expected Date of Delivery (EDD). For more information, please click here. The cost of the ultrasound scan is €80.00.

Third consultation at the 16-18^th weeks

• We measure your blood pressure and weight, check your urine and can offer the so-called Quad-test that checks for neural tube defects. The Quad-test is a maternal blood screening of four specific substances known as AFP, hCG, Estriol and Inhibin-A. The Quad-test is performed between the 16-18^th weeks of pregnancy. Although high levels of AFP may suggest that the developing baby has a neural tube defects, the most common reason for elevated AFP levels is inaccurate dating of the pregnancy. Therefore, we provide this test with an ultrasound scan examination to date your pregnancy. The Quad-test costs €250.00.
• Consultation without Quad-test is €50.00.
• Women should get whooping cough vaccine during each pregnancy. The administration of the vaccine cost €20.00. Vaccination is recommended between 16^th and 36^th weeks of pregnancy.
• A pregnant woman who gets the flu is at risk for serious respiratory illness and complications. Getting flu in pregnancy can also lead to premature birth and smaller babies. Since flu vaccination during pregnancy provides immunity against influenza infection to babies in the first 6 months of their life too, we routinely offer the flu vaccine to pregnant women. Vaccination costs €20.00 and the vaccine can be given at any time during the pregnancy.

 Fourth consultation at the 24^th week

• At the time of your visit at 24^th week, your doctor will check your blood pressure, your urine and your weight along with the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine for free of charge.
• Your doctor might suggest you a blood test for full blood count, liver and kidney function, RH antibody titer for RH-negative mothers and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The OGTT is a screening for diabetes. We take fasting blood and repeat blood sampling in 1 and 2 hours after drinking a sweet solution. During this test, you must stay at the surgery and drink water only. This combined examination is available for €60.00.
• We also offer vaginal swab to screen for vaginal infections for €25.00.

Fifth consultation between 30^thand 32^nd weeks

• We check your urine, your blood pressure, your weight and the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine free of charge.
• We offer 2D ultrasound scan to check the baby’s position, size and the placenta between the 28^th and 31^st By this time, you will probably feel the baby moving a lot more and may even see movements. For more information, please click here. Cost is €80.00.
• We can also offer 3D ultrasound scan to give you an image of the baby’s face for €145.00. For more information, please click here.

Sixth consultation at the 34^th week

• We check your urine, your blood pressure, your weight and the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine for €50.00.

Seventh consultation at the 36^th week

• We check your urine, your blood pressure, your weight and the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine, free of charge.
• A vaginal swab is offered to screen vaginal infections. Cost is €25.00.
• You might be offered additional blood tests to ensure that you don’t need extra iron. This test costs €20.00.

Eight consultation at the 38^th week

• We check your urine, your blood pressure, your weight and the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine, free of charge.
• We can also check the baby’s weight, position and the placenta by ultrasound for €00.

Ninth consultation at 40^th week

• We check your urine, your blood pressure, your weight and the baby’s heart beat with the Doppler machine, free of charge.

2 weeks after delivery, the baby is due for a free visit at the GP

Your doctor will check the baby’s weight, length and head circumference. The doctor will assess with auscultation the heart sounds and the lungs and palpate the baby’s abdomen, the femoral pulse and the testicules. The doctor observes the skin, the umbilical area, the tongue and the mouth and checks the baby’s hips, the genital area and the urine if the baby is urinating during the examination. Your doctor will also check the baby’s head, the fontanels, the spine and any birth marks and evaluates the baby’s face, ears, fingers, toes and eyes. Finally, your GP makes sure that the baby is alert, responding and the reflexes are normal.

6 weeks after birth, the baby and the mother is due for a free check-up

At this visit the baby’s check-up is similar to the 2-weeks check-up.

At 6 weeks post delivery, the mother will have a check-up to see if there is any signs of a breast inflammation or gynaecological infection. Your doctor will check the sutures in case of a C section, episiotomy or tear. Your doctor may indicate taking a vaginal swab. The doctor will also discuss your family planning options. This visit is free for the mother and for the baby.