My Baby FETAL Assessment

To improve the accuracy of the First Trimester USS, the mother's age, the First Trimester Biochemistry and the ultrasound findings are combined to determine the mother's risk for eg Down's Syndrome, Edward syndrome and Patau syndrome.

Nuchal (pronounced “NEW-kuhl”) translucency (NT) is an ultrasound that measures the amount of fluid behind your baby's neck in the first trimester of pregnancy. A small amount of fluid is normal, and measuring the amount of fluid can help calculate your baby's chances of having a chromosomal or genetic variant.

https://www.volusonclub.net/empowered-womens-health/nuchal-translucency-what-does-it-mean/

GOOD NEWS ...

Dear all, this is a notification to inform you that I am currently working as a General Practitioner at Pionierspark Medical Centre, in Windhoek.
You are welcome to make appointments @061242370 .

With regards to the PREGNANCY ULTRASOUND SCANS I am doing those at Khomas Medical Centre in Olympia on Mondays and Wednesdays.
You are welcome to make appointments @ 061422000.

Blessings!

A huge congratulations to past pupil, Jenny O'Halloran, who is currently competing for Ireland in the Special Olympics 2023 in Berlin. She's competing as a rhythmic gymnast. We are all massively proud! 🏆

Sport Ireland would like to wish all of the athletes and staff the best of luck at the Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023!!

🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

This week we will be looking at what food to AVOID during pregnancy and why ..

Cheese, milk and other dairy

What you can eat
• pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Gruyere and parmesan
• pasteurised semi-hard cheeses, such as Edam and Stilton
• pasteurised soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, goats' cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind) and processed cheese spreads
• soft or blue cheese (pasteurised or unpasteurised) that has been cooked until steaming hot
• pasteurised milk, yoghurt, cream and ice cream

What to avoid
• any other foods made from unpasteurised milk, such as soft ripened goats' cheese
• pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as Brie, Camembert and chèvre (unless cooked until steaming hot)
• pasteurised or unpasteurised soft blue cheeses, such as Danish blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot)
• unpasteurised cows' milk, goats' milk, sheep's milk or cream

Why?

There's a small chance that unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy products may contain Listeria bacteria. This can cause an infection called listeriosis.
Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your newborn baby very unwell.
Soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside have more moisture. This can make it easier for bacteria to grow.
Cooking cheese until it's steaming hot kills bacteria, reducing the risk of listeriosis.

From

Dear peoples ...

I think that there might be some confusion as to whether I am still working and doing obstetric scans ...

I closed the doors on my consulting ROOMS at Medicare Centre end of October 2022. Since then I have continued with the obstetric scans at the consulting rooms of Dr Varnia Wicomb in OLYMPIA, Windhoek. I continue to work independent from any other physician.

Please phone 061448900 or send me a message on 0857774144. I would love to see you.

Kindest regards
Dr Mercia Pretorius

Dear Colleagues, friends and patients, we have moved .
I will be doing fetal scans in Olympia at Dr Varnia Wicomb's practice. For appointments please phone 061-448-900 ..
I will also be available for GP locum work as well as theatre assistance. Please DM me for further details.

Kindest regards
Dr Mercia Pretorius

20-Week Ultrasound (Anatomy Scan)

The 20-week ultrasound scan, sometimes called an anatomy or anomaly scan, is performed around 18 to 22 weeks of pregnancy. It checks the development of your baby’s organs and body parts and can detect certain congenital defects. In most cases, you can learn the s*x of your baby.

What is the 20-week anatomy scan looking for?
A 20-week ultrasound takes measurements of your baby’s organs and body parts to make sure your baby is growing appropriately. The scan also looks for signs of specific congenital disabilities or structural issues with certain organs.

Some specific parts your provider will examine are your baby’s:

Heart.
Brain, neck and spine.
Kidneys and bladder.
Arms and legs.
Hands, fingers, feet and toes.
Lips, chin, nose, eyes and face.
Chest and lungs.
Stomach and intestines.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22644-20-week-ultrasound #:~:text=The%2020%2Dweek%20ultrasound%20scan,the%20s*x%20of%20your%20baby.

3D4D pregnancy scans. For a LIMITED TIME only. Phone now to avoid disappointment @061303812

SEASONS CHANGE

Dear friends and colleagues, every now and then seasons change in our lives. And in my life a season is changing. I have been a business owner since 2002 and now 20 years later I am stepping down.
Dr Edward Fynn is taking over ownership of my practice, but I will continue to work as a locum in this same practice. I get the impression that there is a misinterpretation of this new turn. I have not stopped working and I will continue to do so until God ordains my steps in a different direction.
So, please continue to come for pregnancy related ultrasound scans and keep referring patients. I am in the same place , working the same hours.
I will keep you up to date .. Blessings, Dr Mercia Pretorius

For appointments please phone +26461303812

“When pregnant, the cells of the baby migrate into the mothers bloodstream and then circle back into the baby, it’s called “fetal-maternal microchimerism”.⁠

For 41 weeks, the cells circulate and merge backwards and forwards, and after the baby is born, many of these cells stay in the mother’s body, leaving a permanent imprint in the mothers tissues, bones, brain, and skin, and often stay there for decades. Every single child a mother has afterwards will leave a similar imprint on her body, too.

Even if a pregnancy doesn't go to full term or if you have an abortion, these cells still migrate into your bloodstream.

Research has shown that if a mother's heart is injured, fetal cells will rush to the site of the injury and change into different types of cells that specialize in mending the heart.

The baby helps repair the mother, while the mother builds the baby.

How cool is that?

This is often why certain illnesses vanish while pregnant.

It’s incredible how mothers bodies protect the baby at all costs, and the baby protects & rebuilds the mother back - so that the baby can develop safely and survive.

Think about crazy cravings for a moment. What was the mother deficient in that the baby made them crave?

Studies have also shown cells from a fetus in a mothers brain 18 years after she gave birth. How amazing is that?”

If you’re a mom you know how you can intuitively feel your child even when they are not there….Well, now there is scientific proof that moms carry them for years and years even after they have given birth to them.

I find this to be so very beautiful.

Post credit: Heart Strings

29 March 2021

Dear Patient,
Unfortunately NAMAF has put unreasonable restrictions on the claims for the ultrasound scans from 01 January 2021. We are in negotiations with the various medical aids, but the process takes time.

Therefore we have to increase the patient portion in order to regain at least partial loss on the medical aid portion. Please enquire from your medical aid regarding the new (unreasonable)changes.

From 01 April the patient portion on every scan will be N$350. We are so sorry for this unfortunate turn of events. Let us pray that our negotiations will have a favorable outcome for both yourself and the practice.

Kindest regards
Dr Mercia Pretorius

Baby Saved – Look at the Ultrasound — Pro-Life Wisconsin She thought she was at the abortion facility for her appointment, but once she figured out she was at the “wrong place,” she left the pregnancy resource center and headed for the abortion facility. However, when she approached the abortion facility, she saw a multitude of pro-lifers holding the ...

Swollen feet ?? If your kidneys and heart are working well, you could try these lifestyle changes to improve the swelling.

Pregnancy & cats - to be or not to be ...
Many women are concerned about the management of their cat when they find out about their pregnancy.. The only concern would be to avoid contact with cat litter. Toxoplasmosis can infect cat p**p and in turn infect the pregnant mom. This can lead to pregnancy complications.
The easiest answer : keep your cat and use the pregnancy as an excuse to avoid cleaning the cat litter 😉 This way you are creating the perrrrfect opportunity for someone else in the family to expand their set of skills..

I have noticed that in certain cultures, there is a misconception of what an 11 week old fetus consists off. It is a beautiful human being with everything in place to eventually develop into an amazing baby.
It happens from time to time that when I look at this fetus on the ultrasound , someone will gasp, "It looks like a human!" .. Ok, what were you expecting? You are welcome to comment what the perception in your culture is about an 11 week fetus ..

The Joy of the Lord is my strength.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart.

We are made in the image of God. Your faith grows like a mustard seed. Allow the word of God to mature in your life.

2 Corinthians 5:7 says,
For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Human inclination is to follow the ways of the world but to walk by faith, we need to follow the ways of God. We cannot control the actions of those around us. As far as our own life is concerned, we must live according to what God has deemed is right and just.

Our life is a journey and through persistent prayer, whether it's us praying for ourselves or someone else praying for us. To be where God desires us to be we need to suplicate our prayers to God.

Mathew 21:22 says,
And whatever you ask for in prayer, you will recieve, if you have FAITH.

Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God.

Life is a journey that must be traveled even sometimes with its with its ups and downs. Take one day at a time.

Jesus loves you ❤

Shalom
Sera 🌹