Need your advice - consultants for high risk pregnancy?

[soonmom]

Hi all,

I am 28 weeks pregnant and have complications due to fibroids and placenta previa.

We decided to go with about Queen Charlotte's. Because of the high risk pregnancy we want to feel confident that we have a consultant/surgeon that we can really trust.

So far we have heard about 2 consultants - Mr Mc Carthy and Mr Kumar.

Would really like to get your urgent advice and experiences on either ...

thanks in advance.

Jen

keep bumping this - maybe in the morning for the daytimers

sorry I can't help you but good luck

I have Placenta Praevia, I will be stuck with the consultant at my local hospital. I am presuming as he is paid out of the Tax payers good money that he will be vaguely competent in his role as consultant and will help my baby and I avoid morbidity and mortality at all costs. I also assume that he will do his best to achieve this as a fellow human being. Therefore, I actually don't feel stuck with him at all. I feel glad that I have the provision in the first place.

Maybe I am being overly British but do people really choose consultants like this? What does that say about the majority of consultants then, that unless they come with Gold Stars they won't keep you safe and healthy?

I do hope your Praevia does not prove terribly problematic, and that you are able to receive the care that you can trust.

I chose my consultant (on the NHS - I asked my GP to refer me to the one I wanted at 5 weeks - luckily I have some inside knowledge of them). They all have particular interests & expertise, not to mention 'communication styles'. I also chose mine on the basis of which anaesthetist she works with (I will be having a section, he's willing to work with me around a complicated history), her surgical technique & to avoid seeing two particular doctors I despise.

I have an extremely complicated medical/obstetric history with multiple bereavements & she is the best fit for me. It might not make any difference to some people but the fact that I could chose to see someone I trusted is all that has kept me from a complete breakdown. This is my 9th & final pregnancy, she sees & scans me every two weeks, I can (& do) call her directly when I'm really worried, she's arranged for me to see the same midwife at every appointment & runs a special clinic for bereaved parents so we don't have to sit around in waiting rooms with normal happy people. We could never afford to have private obstetric care & I am so unbelievably lucky to have the option (though I fought for it - the 'care' in the last pregnancy was a disaster which contributed to the death of my son) to have such specialised & individualised care.

People are always going on about how much they'd like continuity in their midwifery care - & employing IMs in order to get it - those of us with high risk pregnancies feel the same about our consultants.

OP sorry I don't really know - I've heard good things about Kumar. I know they book up really quickly so time is probably an issue.

Hi - I had Mr McCarthy last year, very complicated pregnancy and prem baby, delivered by emergency c-section. Mr McCarthy was brilliant, I can't recommend him highly enough. Are you going to be seeing him privately or on the NHS?

Hi, I sound like the message above. Mr Mc Carthy delivered my baby girl weighing 1lb 4oz last year at QC by c-section - not a particularly easy thing to do with a baby that small. Mr Kumar was supposed to do the delivery but got held up. So I can recommend either - I know lots of other mums from QC who highly recommend both. I am with Mr Wimalasundera this time around who is also based there and can equally recommend him too. Cx

In this day and age most Dr's who have reached Consultant level and are doing private Obstetrics are perfectly capable of managing complicated pregnancies. If you can, I would arrange to go and see both the Consultants you mention for a prelimary consultation/discussion about your pregnancy and base your decision on whom you feel more comfortable with.Often it is a gut feeling in who you feel will give you the best level of confidence and support. Different mums have different needs - your choice should be a personal one, albeit with useful advice from other mums here on MN!