Your pregnancy journey with Dr Saadie

Dr Saadie's experience in private obstetrics spans more than 20 years and includes normal and high-risk pregnancy and caesarean birth. He consults in Castle Hill and Eastwood and delivers babies at Sydney Adventist Hospital (Wahroonga) and Norwest Private Hospital (Bella Vista).

Below is what usually happens at each stage. Your own schedule may differ depending on your health and your baby's.

1. <10weeks

   The early weeks

   You're pregnant, congratulations. Visit your GP for a referral to Dr Saadie, then call to book your first appointment for about 10 weeks.

   These early weeks are especially important for your baby's development. Take a pregnancy multivitamin, or at the very least folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects.

2. 10weeks

   First antenatal visit

   Dr Saadie will talk you through how your pregnancy care will work. His team will:

   • give you your hospital booking forms
   • check your weight and blood pressure
   • book as many of your antenatal appointments as possible
   • arrange blood tests and ultrasounds if needed, and answer your questions

   Basic ultrasounds are offered at each visit as needed, in Dr Saadie's rooms.

   After your first visit, blood and urine tests check for anaemia, thyroid function, blood group and red cell antibodies, immunity to rubella (German measles) and chickenpox, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, HIV and urine infection. If your GP has already done these tests, bring a copy of the results. You may also need a cervical screening test.

3. 12weeks

   Nuchal translucency scan

   You'll be referred for an ultrasound at 12 weeks called the nuchal translucency scan. It screens for trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome). A blood test of certain hormone levels is offered alongside it to make the screening more accurate. A non-invasive prenatal blood test (NIPT) can also screen for these conditions.

   If screening shows a higher chance of a chromosomal condition, Dr Saadie will discuss diagnostic options such as CVS or amniocentesis with you.

   Dr Saadie works with these ultrasound practices: Hills Ultrasound for Women (Norwest), SAN Ultrasound for Women (Wahroonga), The Sydney Ultrasound for Women, and others such as PRP.

4. 14weeks

   Second visit

   Your second antenatal visit is four weeks after the first. You'll see Dr Saadie every four weeks until 26 to 28 weeks. By now, the harder early symptoms such as nausea have often eased.

5. 18weeks

   Routine visit and morphology scan

   A routine check of your progress and a chance to raise any concerns. At 18 to 20 weeks you'll have the morphology scan, a detailed ultrasound that looks at your baby's development and checks for problems that could affect your pregnancy.

6. 22weeks

   Routine visit

   You'll be gaining weight steadily, and your breasts may start to make colostrum. Increased vaginal discharge and needing to pass urine more often are common.

7. 26weeks

   Blood tests and two-weekly visits

   Blood tests around now check for anaemia, red cell antibodies (if your blood group is Rhesus negative) and gestational diabetes. Visits increase to every two weeks until 34 to 36 weeks.

   From here Dr Saadie watches closely for pre-eclampsia, including high blood pressure and protein in your urine.

   Call straight away on (02) 9894 9225 if you have a severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of your hands, feet or face.

8. 30weeks

   Third trimester

   Your baby is now gaining weight quickly, and you may notice Braxton Hicks (practice) contractions.

9. 32weeks

   Growth scan and birth preferences

   If you're planning a vaginal birth, a swab checks for Group B Streptococcus. You may be referred for a growth and wellbeing scan between 32 and 36 weeks to check your baby's size and position. It's a good time to talk about your birth preferences.

10. 34weeks

    Routine visit

    A check of your progress and your baby's, and time for your questions.

11. 36weeks

    Weekly visits begin

    From 37 weeks your pregnancy is considered full term. Babies born before 37 weeks are premature, and after 42 weeks post-term. From 36 weeks you'll see Dr Saadie every week until your baby is born.

12. 37weeks

    Baby's position

    Even if your baby is bottom-down (breech), there's a good chance they will turn head-down before birth, especially in a first pregnancy. When labour starts, about 96 per cent of babies are head-down.

13. 38+weeks

    Countdown to birth

    Weekly visits continue until your baby arrives. It's a good time to ask about pain relief options for labour.

14. Birth

    When labour starts

    Call your hospital's birth suite:

    • Sydney Adventist Hospital, Wahroonga: (02) 9487 9111, ask for the delivery suite
    • Norwest Private Hospital, Bella Vista: (02) 8882 8591
15. +6weeks

    Postnatal check

    As soon as you can after your baby is born, call (02) 9894 9225 to book your six-week postnatal check. Dr Saadie will make sure your recovery is on track, answer your questions and talk about contraception.

Choosing your hospital

Dr Saadie delivers at Sydney Adventist Hospital and Norwest Private Hospital. Once you've chosen, book your maternity stay directly with the hospital. They'll tell you their current room and bed charges when you book.

Changing to Dr Saadie part-way through pregnancy

If your current obstetrician is retiring or moving, or you've moved to the area, you can transfer your care. Ask your GP for a referral, call the rooms, and bring your scan reports and blood results to your first visit.

This page is general information and does not replace advice about your own pregnancy. Updated November 2026.