Planning a pregnancy? PLaN Clinic – gold-standard health advice at your fingertips

When starting a family it’s important to optimise your health – to give your baby the best start in life. Planning, Lifestyle & Nutrition (PLaN) is a free pre-pregnancy planning clinic, led by a team of specialists at the Royal Hospital for Women.

The clinic offers gold-standard health advice for women and their partners on a range of topics, from family and medical history to immunisation, mental health support and more.

“Planning for a baby can be an exciting and anxious time – especially for first-time parents. It’s normal to have countless questions about your health,” according to Deborah Blackwood, Royal Hospital for Women Midwife leading the PLaN Clinic. 

“There’s a magnitude of resources out there for new mums and dads, its normal to feel a little overwhelmed,” Ms Blackwood said.
 
“That’s why we created PLaN, to make information gathering as seamless as possible – a one-stop-shop for pregnancy planning, if you like.” 
 
“Our service is dedicated to preparing couples so they can be at their healthiest – both physically and emotionally – prior to falling pregnant, and identifying any issues early that may impact on the pregnancy,” Ms Blackwood said.
 
The clinic receives excellent feedback from those that have used the service. Julia Timofeeva, who visited the clinic earlier this year, said: “I was very fortunate to use the PLaN service and could not believe that it was free. 
 
“It was a fantastic opportunity for me to have a one-on-one consultation with a knowledgeable midwife who provided me with plenty of useful information and was able to answer all my questions and discuss my concerns.

“I loved the attention midwife Deborah paid to me. I’m very grateful for it,” Ms Timofeeva said.

Ms Blackwood said as the only women’s hospital in the state, the Royal Hospital for Women is renowned for delivering world-class healthcare.

"I’ve found that clients trust PLaN because it's run by a leading hospital, dedicated to women and their families,” Ms Blackwood said.

The clinic runs on Tuesdays, from 2pm to 6pm. To book your consult phone 0408 398 109 or email SESLHDPLaNRHW@health.nsw.gov.au.

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