A myriad of medical advances have influenced how parents can best prepare for having a baby; whether it be fertility, monitoring progress during pregnancy or after the baby arrives. These advances will be the focus of a free RCSI MyHealth public lecture that takes place in RCSI this evening, Wednesday, 26 October 2016. The lecture, entitled ‘Having a Baby – Medical Advances from Conception to Cradle’, will be held from 18.30-20.30 at RCSI, 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

The lecture, which will consist of three speakers, will discuss the various options people have when it comes to checking their fertility, the latest medical advances and options in pregnancy screening, and give attendees some useful information on various post-natal challenges that may arise after the birth of a baby.

The event will be chaired by Professor Fergal Malone, Professor and Head of RCSI’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Master of the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin who will introduce the speakers after giving a short talk on the work and research carried out at RCSI’s Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital. 

Dr Edgar Mocanu, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, RCSI and Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist, Rotunda Hospital will speak on the topic of both male and female fertility with a presentation called 'Your fertility – your choice'. Here Dr Mocanu will speak about some important facts about reproduction. He will talk about how both women and men should become aware of their reproductive potential early in life and will discuss the role family planning plays in people’s life plan. 

Dr Karen Flood, Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RCSI and Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rotunda Hospital will then talk about the various options and methods of prenatal screening with particular focus on recent advances. Dr Flood will discuss fetal ultrasound, both first trimester assessment and the second trimester anatomy survey, and talk about new non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). This new technology determines whether the fetus is at high risk or low risk for certain genetic conditions such as Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome. She will also explain patient suitability for these tests and update attendees on future developments in this area.

Finally, Ms Hazel Cazzini, Clinical Midwife Manager at the Rotunda Hospital will speak on 'Common Postnatal Challenges', where she will define some of the problems a woman may experience after having their baby (such as tiredness, pain, urinary incontinence, breastfeeding challenges, and post-natal depression) and outline some preventative measures and treatments options available.

Speaking ahead of the lecture, Professor Fergal Malone said, “When planning to have a baby, throughout the pregnancy and in the aftermath, people will experience frequent consultations with various healthcare professionals. However, medical advances mean that things are a lot different to having a baby 20, 10 or even five years ago. The aim of this RCSI MyHealth lecture is to give attendees some information on fertility, the recent innovations in prenatal screening, while giving some practical advice on some post-natal issues that may arise in some cases.”

Lecture details:

• Title: ‘Having a Baby – Medical Advances from Conception to Cradle’, An RCSI MyHealth Public Lecture
• Date: Wednesday, 26 October 2016 at 18.30-20.30
• Location: 123 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2

Speakers: 

• Chairman – Prof Fergal Malone, Head of RCSI’s Dept of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Master of Rotunda Hospital
• Dr Edgar Mocanu, Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, RCSI and Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rotunda Hospital
• Dr Karen Flood, Senior Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, RCSI and Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rotunda Hospital
• Ms Hazel Cazzini, Midwife at the Rotunda Hospital