Obstetrics
Your first point of contact will be our warm and friendly reception team – Donna (Practice Manager), Corinne, Sarah, Bec and Sara (our midwife) – who will welcome you and provide ongoing support throughout your pregnancy journey.
Our experienced specialist team delivers compassionate, comprehensive obstetric care throughout pregnancy and childbirth, working closely with you and your family to ensure you feel informed, supported and confident every step of the way.
We understand this is a very special time for you and your family. Our priority is to support a safe, positive and enjoyable experience through pregnancy, birth and postnatal care, with care tailored to your individual needs.
Our doctors provide birth care through St John of God Health Care Geelong.
Our services
Avonlea Clinic provides comprehensive specialist medical care for pregnancies including the following –
Pre-pregnancy assessment and counselling
Normal pregnancy management, antenatal care and confinement
Complicated and high risk pregnancy
VBAC (vaginal birth after Caesarean section)
Twin pregnancy
Postpartum care
Pregnancy care
We are 21st century professionals and offer a group practice approach to your pregnancy care.
We share our on-call for weeknights and weekends. We believe this helps us provide you with our best care.
Appointments
All consultations take place at our clinic, located at 159 Yarra Street, Geelong.
Our office team — Corinne, Sarah, Bec and Donna (Practice Manager) — will assist with appointment bookings, accounts, certificates and general enquiries. Any medical questions will be directed to your doctor to ensure you receive the most appropriate care.
All consultations are by appointment. Please call our friendly reception team on 03 4245 2007 during office hours to arrange your appointment.
Our obstetricians may offer the following (where appropriate)
Our obstetricians are experienced in supporting a range of labour and birth preferences where it is clinically appropriate and safe to do so. These options are considered on an individual basis, taking into account your medical history, pregnancy and personal circumstances.
- Management of labour after Caesarean section
- Twin vaginal birth
- Bath use in labour
- Delayed cord clamping (in the setting of actively managed third stage)
- Skin-to-skin neonatal care
After hours medical care
Weeknights
All our doctors share weeknight cover, but in some cases will be covered by specialists listed under ‘Weekends’.
Weekends
Our doctors participate in a shared weekend on-call roster with Dr Sam Sabary, Dr Karl Najjar and Dr Tracey Gilchrist. If you are seen after hours by the specialist covering for our doctors, there will be no out-of-pocket fee charged.
Philosophy of care
As we provide a medical model of care, there are certain services that are not provided by our clinicians, including the following:
- Post 42 weeks pregnancy
- Planned breech vaginal birth
- Water birth
- Physiological third stage (placental delivery)
- Lotus birth
- Planned birth outside hospital
Hospital booking
You can book online at St John of God Health Care, Geelong for your baby’s birth.
St John of God Health Care Geelong
Address – 80 Myers Street, Geelong VIC 3220 | Phone – 03 5226 8888 | Website – sjog.org.au
Pregnancy care
Pregnancy and childbirth education
Provided at Avonlea Clinic by our midwife Sara Cole.
Comprehensive parent education classes are offered through the hospital to support you and your family as you prepare for birth and early parenthood. A range of antenatal classes and workshops are available, covering pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postnatal period. Details of the classes offered, including dates and times, will be provided to you when you complete your hospital booking.
Books, websites and other resources
The following publications provide a broad range of opinions combined with sensible practical advice:
- ‘Up the Duff’ by Kaz Cooke
- ‘Everywoman’ by Derek Llewellyn-Jones
- ‘Conception, Pregnancy & Birth’ by Miriam Stoppard
- ‘New pregnancy & birth book’ by Miriam Stoppard
- ‘Your Baby & Child. The essential Guide for every parent’ by Penelope Leech
- ‘Keep it Simple Series. Guide to Pregnancy’ DK: Felicia Eisenberg Molnar
- ‘Twins. From conception to 5 years’ by Averil Clegg & Anne Wallett
- Better Health Channel
Ultrasound
Ultrasound assessment in pregnancy
Ultrasound is considered completely safe in pregnancy and is now a routine part of antenatal care.
Early pregnancy evaluation
Your estimated due date is usually calculated by adding 40 weeks to the first day of your last menstrual period. For women with irregular cycles, this calculation can be less accurate. An ultrasound before 14 weeks is therefore recommended to confirm gestational age and assess early pregnancy progress. If you experience bleeding or pain in early pregnancy, an ultrasound can also help confirm that the pregnancy is developing normally.
First trimester combined screening
Between 11 weeks and 3 days and 13 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy, First Trimester Screening (FTS) is offered to all pregnant women. This screening assesses the risk of certain chromosomal conditions in your baby. Choosing to have this test is entirely optional. FTS involves a blood test around 10 weeks and an ultrasound at approximately 12 weeks, performed at an external medical imaging centre, with fees varying between providers.
Non-invasive prenatal screening
Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is an alternative screening option for chromosomal abnormalities. A blood sample is taken from the mother after 10 weeks of pregnancy and analysed to assess placental DNA. NIPS may be performed instead of FTS, or as a follow-up test if FTS indicates an increased risk. These options will be discussed in detail with you during your booking appointment.
Mid-trimester scan
Between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy, a detailed fetal anatomy ultrasound is recommended. This scan systematically reviews your baby’s growth and development and helps identify any structural concerns. The scan is performed at a specialist ultrasound centre outside the practice, and fees may vary depending on the provider.