Frequently asked antenatal questions
Please refer to our frequently asked questions below, or for more assistance feel free to get in touch with our office team.
What are the benefits of delivering privately?
Private pregnancy care provides you with continuity of care, allowing you to establish a connection with the person who will look after you during your pregnancy, labour, and birth. Many women feel reassured by the fact that an experienced senior consultant will be caring for you at all stages of your pregnancy.
Where will my baby be born?
Miss Mellon provides delivery care at The Portland Hospital for Women and Children, which has an international reputation for clinical excellence. The maternity unit comprises of five delivery suites on a dedicated labour ward, and each delivery suite has its own birthing pool and operating theatre. There is a consultant anaesthetist on the delivery suite 24-hours-a-day, providing epidurals and emergency cover.
On the wards there are 30 bedrooms, all of which are en-suite. Experienced medical officers (obstetric, gynaecological, and paediatric) are in the hospital 24 hours a day, to offer assistance and advice in caring for your baby. For unexpected emergencies, the maternity service is also supported by a 24 hour on call theatre team, a neonatal intensive care unit and an adult high dependency unit.
What if I would prefer to have a caesarean section?
A caesarean section may be recommended for a variety of reasons, or may simply be your preferred method of delivery. Miss Mellon and Miss Afors are able to perform elective caesarean sections at The Portland Hospital.
Is it safe for me to have the Covid-19 vaccine?
The Royal College of Obstetricians Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) caution that pregnant women risk getting severely ill with COVID-19 and that the risks are greater further into pregnancy. The institutions acknowledged that there had been “mixed messages” about the safety of the vaccines for pregnant women, but experts now say it is clear that receiving the jab while pregnant is safe.
Should you have any questions about the vaccine relating to pregnancy or fertility, we recommend reading the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists latest advice here.