IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR VISIT

What To Expect

Knowing what to expect can help you feel more prepared and comfortable before your appointment. The information below will help you to prepare for your gynaecology, obstetric, fertility and preconception appointments, as well as how Dr Aleker and her team will support you throughout your care.

  • My receptionists are Sharon and Olivia. They are a mother-daughter duo who exemplify the over-arching themes of kindness and efficiency in women’s healthcare. They will be your point of contact for referrals, appointments, consultation fees, theatre bookings, hospital admissions and communication with myself.

  • I will have your referral with the reason for your appointment but will want to know more about your condition and your current state of health. My consult with you will start with a discussion of your specific symptoms and how they are affecting your life. I will ask you for more details about your menstrual health, any other co-existing medical conditions, pregnancy and gynaecological history and surgical history. I will also want to know about any medications you are taking and about any allergies you may have.

    Your appointment with me may also involve a physical examination depending on your presenting symptoms. The examination may take place in my consulting room or in my procedure room. In my consulting room, I have a simple examination bed whilst in my procedure room, I have a gynaecological bed which means that your legs can be placed in foot rests that will make the examination or procedure safer and efficient. I perform colposcopic examinations, IUD insertions and simple ultrasounds that may be required as part of your presentation. Your symptoms may also necessitate biopsies (samples of tissue) to be taken or urine or swab specimens to be taken. I will explain all of these and why these are necessary if needed. If any investigations are performed, results of these usually take between 2- 6 weeks to return from the laboratory. I will arrange a follow up appointment, usually in person, to discuss these results and next steps. If there are any blood tests or scans that need to be performed, I will provide you with paperwork to complete these in a certain time frame.

    To move forward, I will have a discussion with you regarding management options and recommendations. There will often be a lot of information to digest and so I will also make sure that you are provided with written resources or reliable online resources to peruse. I will take my time to explain information to you and often use diagrams and drawings for my explanations.

    If surgery is an option that you are wanting to pursue, I will discuss with you a theatre date and time which my reception staff can confirm with you. They will provide your details to the anaesthetist I work with and also ask you to register with the North West Hospital for admission. I will discuss in detail with you the surgical procedure I am recommending, provide you with written information, allow you to ask questions and then ask you to sign a consent form. The risks of the procedure will be outlined to you during this process. I may also need to take your weight and height in preparation for surgery.

    If there is a non-surgical option that you are wanting to pursue, I will prescribe any medications recommended, refer you to any members of the allied health team and then organise follow up, usually in person, in the future to check in on progress. I may also recommend referral to another medical specialist for their input into your condition.

    I will then ensure that there is a letter written back to your referring doctor outlining our discussion, any recommendations and the chosen path forward as well as keep them up to date regarding any progress along the treatment journey.

    My reception staff will be the contact point in terms of appointment times, follow up, theatre bookings and any fees.

  • Whether it is your first pregnancy or your third, I am excited to be embarking on this journey with you and your family and look forward to supporting you throughout the changes that occur. The cornerstone of good obstetric care is the ability to provide consistent, regular and kind obstetric care, this is important for me to get to know you and be able to deliver evidence-based, safe obstetric care.  The following appointment schedule provides an overview of what to expect.  

    Appointment schedule

    At 9–10 weeks, you will see Midwife Sandra for a 90-minute appointment.

    At 11–12 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 30-minute appointment.

    At 16 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 20 weeks, you will see Midwife Sandra for a 30-minute appointment.

    At 24 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 28 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 30 weeks, you will see Midwife Sandra for a 30-minute appointment.

    At 32 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 34 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 36 weeks, you will see Midwife Sandra for a 40-minute appointment.

    At 37 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 38 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 39 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At 40 weeks, you will see Dr Aleker for a 20-minute appointment.

    At your postnatal check, you will see Dr Aleker.

    Midwife

    I work with Sandra, our accredited midwife. 

    First midwife appointment

    This appointment usually takes place in your first trimester.  You will see my midwife first at a separate appointment and she will go through information provided by your referrer which will include dating scans and early pregnancy blood tests.  She will also collect details about your pregnancy, gynaecological, medical and surgical history.  There may also be additional early pregnancy blood tests and investigations that may need to be ordered so my midwife will arrange for you to have these done.  The appointment with our midwife helps us set the scene for the rest of your pregnancy care by collating information about you and your pregnancy as well as your wishes for your care.

    First appointment with me

    This appointment usually takes place soon after you see my midwife.  This is a chance for you to meet me in person for the first time so I welcome the opportunity to answer your questions.  It is a privilege for me to be able to be a part of your pregnancy journey. 

    I will go through in detail all of the medical information that my midwife has collated.  I will confirm your due date and check all of your early pregnancy blood tests and screening tests.  I will go through your previous pregnancy details and discuss with you any concerns you may have regarding your pregnancy. If you have wishes at this point regarding delivery, I would be happy to discuss these further. 

    Ultrasounds in pregnancy

    I will scan you at every appointment in order to check your baby’s general wellbeing.  For more detailed and formal scanning, I will refer you to a formal ultrasound provider.  The important points at which you will be referred for ultrasounds will be:

    -          Early dating scan

    -          Nuchal Translucency scan

    -          Morphology scan

    There may be other points in your pregnancy that I will refer you for scanning including:

    -          Early morphology scan

    -          Growth scans

    At every antenatal visit

    I will take the time to answer any questions and address any clinical concerns you may have.

    Every visit will include a physical examination:

    -          Blood pressure check

    -          Abdominal examination

    o   Measurement of pregnant abdomen

    o   Check of how baby is positioned

    o   Listening to baby’s heartbeat

    -          Bedside scan of baby

    -          Examination of other areas depending on clinical concerns

    As you approach your due date, we will discuss individualised delivery planning.  If you are wanting an elective Caesarean section, please let me know and I will discuss this with you and make plans for this as part of your delivery care.

    26- 28 week investigations

    There will be standard blood tests that are recommended to guide pregnancy care at this gestation.  This includes diabetes screening and a test of iron levels.

    36 week investigations

    There will be standard blood tests and vaginal swabs that are recommended to help guide and prepare for delivery.

    36 week appointment with midwife

    This is one of the more important appointments to attend as the information that our midwife will provide you will help you prepare for birth and newborn care.  This appointment is where we collate what has happened so far in your antenatal journey and start transitioning to preparing for your birth journey.

    Maternity tours and Antenatal classes

    The North West Private Hospital Maternity Tours are conducted every Saturday (Group tours) between 11am-12pm. No pre-booking necessary, please present to D Ward Maternity, and a Midwife will conduct the tour and answer any questions you have.

    The North West Private Hospital offers two tailored antenatal classes: 1/ Preparation for Labour and Birth class 2/ Caesarean Birth class

    We can provide you with information on how to book for these classes. The ideal time to attend is from 28 weeks gestation onwards, ensuring you retain the information for your upcoming birth.

    Post natal check

    I look forward to seeing you and your baby 6 weeks after your delivery.  You will have had a life changing journey up to this point and so I would like to check in with you regarding your physical and mental health.  At this appointment, I can provide you with a debrief of any events around the birth of your baby. I will take the time to answer your questions.  This is also an opportunity where I can collect a cervical smear if it is due and also provide you with contraception advice or treatment if you desire.  If you are planning further pregnancies, I will give you advice regarding subsequent pregnancy care. This appointment is one of my favourites as I get to share in your joy and have a cuddle with your baby.

  • Fertility

    Attending a fertility appointment can be a momentous point in your journey to parenthood as you may have been trying to conceive for a period of time, are approaching pregnancy in a same sex relationship, are making the choice to become a single parent or are wanting to safeguard your fertility with egg preservation. I commend you on your courage to seek fertility care.

    At your first appointment, if you are in a relationship, it is important to attend together.  I will collect medical information about you (as well as your partner if you have one) pertinent to fertility and pregnancy health.  If you have any gynaecological, obstetric or surgical history, I will go through these in detail.  There may be additional blood tests, a semen analysis, scans or procedures that may need to be arranged in order to fully prepare for your individualised fertility journey. 

    Fertility is managed in a graduated, tailored way once all investigations are compiled.  I will work with you to optimise a treatment plan that may include simple measures or include more multi-faceted options such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

    If you require assisted reproduction technology, I work with Queensland fertility group - a fertility company that has the highest standards when it comes to laboratory control and highly skilled scientists working with your embryos.  I will discuss in detail with you the different steps involved in your tailored fertility journey. 

     

    Preconception

    I would encourage all women to see their GP or an Obstetrician/Gynaecologist to discuss their plans for a pregnancy.  At this appointment, I will take a full medical history which would include previous pregnancies, any gynaecological conditions and surgery you may have had.  I will also be interested in any family history that may impact your pregnancy.  This is also an opportunity for me to discuss ways to optimise your current health in order to best prepare you for a healthy and safe pregnancy. 

    I may recommend additional tests (blood tests or scans) or referrals to other specialists to monitor and manage any other medical conditions that may impact on a pregnancy.  I will create a plan to guide your future pregnancy care and this can be shared with your GP and other healthcare providers for future reference.  I recommend all women/couples ask about reproductive genetic carrier screening to reduce the risk of inherited serious genetic conditions.