Pregnancy care - Dr. Tomer Avnon, OB-GYN
Pregnancy care
Regular prenatal care is essential for your wellbeing and healthy fetal development. Visits follow a medical protocol including blood and urine tests, blood pressure monitoring, and ultrasound scans to assess fetal growth and position. The goal is to ensure the pregnancy is progressing normally, identify any conditions requiring attention as early as possible, and optimally prepare your body for birth.
My Approach to Your Pregnancy
I believe that pregnancy is a meaningful chapter for you and your family. In my clinic, I combine uncompromising professionalism with a warm, personal touch and a calm atmosphere. I dedicate the necessary time to every patient to answer every question, ensuring you feel confident that you and your baby are in professional, attentive, and skilled hands every step of the way.
Pregnancy Care: FAQ (Everything you need to know)
Pregnancy is an exciting journey filled with new information. If anything is unclear or you'd like to discuss a specific test, my door is always open. I'm here for any question you may have.
I believe prenatal care is much more than technical tests; it's dedicated support for your peace of mind. My goal is to ensure everything is progressing well, so you always feel you have a reliable address for every question.
My care provides comprehensive monitoring for both your health and your baby's. At each visit, we check vitals (blood pressure and weight), perform ultrasounds to assess fetal growth and vitality, and plan next steps based on your results. I am here to guide you step-by-step, from early pregnancy through delivery.
The term can sound intimidating, but it simply means your pregnancy requires extra attention. A pregnancy may be defined as high-risk due to pre-existing conditions (like diabetes or hypertension), a twin pregnancy, or issues arising during the process (such as preeclampsia). In these cases, our monitoring will be closer to prevent complications, ensuring you move through this journey with maximum confidence and safety.
During your pregnancy, you will be referred to a series of screenings designed to assess the risk of genetic syndromes. These are not diagnostic tests (like amniocentesis), but rather tools that provide a statistical indication of your baby's health.
Key milestones along the way:
Nuchal Translucency (Weeks 11–13): An initial ultrasound measuring the fluid at the back of the baby's neck. It evaluates the risk of chromosomal disorders (with approximately 70% accuracy for detecting Down syndrome).
First Trimester Screening: A blood test (PAPP-A and hCG) performed alongside the ultrasound. Combining both results significantly improves statistical accuracy.
Second Trimester Screening (Triple Screen – Weeks 16–18): A blood test measuring specific markers. It increases detection accuracy to about 95% and provides insights into placental function and the risk of open neural tube defects.
NIPT (Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing): Advanced technology that analyzes fetal DNA fragments in the mother's blood. It is a highly accurate (over 99%) non-invasive test for detecting Down syndrome and other common conditions.
It is important to understand this distinction: screening tests (like NIPT or maternal serum markers) are statistical—they tell us the probability of a condition. In contrast, amniocentesis is a diagnostic test. While it is an invasive procedure, it provides a definitive and final answer regarding your baby's genetic makeup. I will be here to advise you on if and when this test is right for you.
Anatomy scans serve as a "roadmap" of your baby's development, and at each stage, we focus on different aspects:
Early Anatomy Scan (Weeks 14–16): A detailed examination where we review most of the already-formed organs to get an initial assessment and ensure there are no major structural anomalies.
Late Anatomy Scan (Weeks 20–24): This is a critical follow-up. We examine organs that continue to develop and change (such as the brain and heart) to verify that the growth rate remains normal and to rule out any congenital anomalies that may only become apparent at this stage.
