Baby Premier news & media updates

Early Down's syndrome screening not available in Wales [September '10]   

Pregnant women in Wales are still waiting for access to a screening test two years after it was recommended. A health guidance body said in 2008 all pregnant women should be offered, on the NHS, a combined scan and blood tests for foetal chromosomal problems. The assembly government said implementing guidelines took time but it hoped to have screening in place by April next year, depending on funding. The recommended test is a specialised ultrasound scan checking for raised levels of fluid at the back of the foetus' neck, which can indicate chromosomal abnormalities such as Down's or Edward's syndromes which can be performed between 11 weeks + days to 13 weeks + 6 days.. Click here to read the full article supplied by BBC Health. For advice on Down's screening, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Summer madness - free DVD/CD with every 4D scan [Aug '10]   

Throughout the month of August, Baby Premier is pleased to offer your choice of a free DVD (usual priced at £30) or a free CD (usual price £20) with each 4D ultrasound scan booked, click here for further offers. To claim your free DVD or CD, simply telephone us on 0845 345 7262 and quote this website offer.

Win a Tomy Digital Video Plus monitor [Aug '10]   

Ideal to capture your baby’s every precious moment, the TDV450 from Tomy has a crystal clear three inch colour screen and automatic infra-red function.  You can watch over your baby day and night with guaranteed 100% privacy. Baby Premier in association with Tomy, have several of these superb video monitors as competition prizes. To enter this competition and see our other fantastic competitions and offer, click here

High stress 'delays pregnancy' [Aug '10]   

IA scientific study has shown for the first time that high stress levels may delay pregnancy. Oxford University experts measured stress hormones in women planning a baby naturally and found the most stressed had a reduced chance of becoming pregnant. Relaxation might help some couples, but more research is needed, they say. To read the full article as supplied by BBC News Health, click here

Baby Premier to open further London clinics [July '10]   

Baby Premier has announced ambitious plans to roll out massive clinic expansion to support the demand of patients from the London area. As well as our current central London Harley Street clinic, Baby Premier will soon also open ultrasound clinics in Notting Hill (W11), Chiswick (W4), Brompton Cross (SW3) and south of the Thames in Wandsworth (SW18) with the planned launch date for clinic openings being late Summer 2010. For advice or bookings on ultrasound scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Nuchal screening for Down's pregnancies [July '10]   

Better antenatal screening is the key to the fall in Down's syndrome babies university researchers say, as the number of Down's syndrome pregnancies has risen by more than 70% over the last 20 years. The sharp rise reflects the growing number of older women becoming pregnant, when there is a higher risk. Click here to read the full article supplied by BBC Health and the British Medical Journal. For advice on Down's screening, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Baby Premier to launch online shop [June '10]    ................................. Baby Premier has now launched its online shop for pregnancy and baby orientated gifts. To view a collection of gifts and to visit our online shop click here or telephone 0845 345 7262 or email info@babypremier.co.uk to make a purchase.

Baby Premier to open in Essex [May '10]   

Baby Premier clinics will soon be available at the new Braintree Community Hospital conveniently located for patients from and Essex and Suffolk areas.  For advice or bookings on 4D bonding scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Baby Premier arrives in Leeds [March '10]   

Baby Premier clinics are now available at the The Good Health Centre conveniently located for patients from and around the Leeds area.  The Good Health Centre is a private practice that has a team of highly qualified therapists offering treatments including Osteopathy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Acupuncture, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology and Therapeutic massage. For advice or bookings on 4D bonding scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

4D Bonding scan for Debbie Mac [February '10]   

North West radio station Real Radio presenter Debbie Mac recently experienced a 4D Bonding scan with Baby Premier.  Debbie can be heard on Real Radio in the afternoons playing all the tunes you need to hear to make your weekday bearable together with a generous serving of good humoured gossip.  To experience a 4D Bonding scan yourself, enter the Baby Premier competition in association with Real Radio for the chance to win a 4D Bonding package.  For advice or bookings on 4D bonding scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

How accurate is your dating scan? [February '10]   

Baby Premier has featured in this months edition of Pregnancy & Birth magazine with professional advice from Baby Premier's Regional Lead Sonographer, Julia Hindle.  To see the full article, please click here. For advice or bookings on Viability & Dating scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete our online enquiry form.

4D Bonding scans come to Preston [February '10]   

Baby Premier clinics are now available at the Issa Medical Centre conveniently located for patients from Preston and Lancashire.  The Issa Medical Centre is a brand new £5m state-of-the-art development which also benefits form an on-site pharmacy situated opposite from the ground-breaking NHS Minerva Health Centre located on two floors in Preston North End FC.  For advice or bookings on 4D bonding scans from Baby Premier, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

New Cheshire location - NOW OPEN [November '09]   

Baby Premier Cheshire is based at The Lindens Medical Centre in Altrincham.  The centre is also home to SMI (Specialist Medical Imaging Ltd) and is a dedicated health and wellbeing centre exclusively for women.  It is accessible from all parts of the North West of England and offers the full range of Baby Premier obstetric ultrasound scans. Click here for directions and more information on Baby Premier Cheshire

Woman delay starting a family [October '09]   

Women who delay motherhood have led to a sharp rise in the number of babies diagnosed with Down's Syndrome over the past 20 years. The number of women in their 40s having children has nearly doubled in a decade. Doctors claim many women do not fully understand the risks of having babies late in life, with the chances of having a Down's child 16 times higher for a woman of 40 than a 25-year-old. Click here to read the full news article supplied by the Daily Mail  For advice on Nuchal scan for Down's screening, telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Babies 'cry in mother's tongue' [October '09]   

German researchers say babies begin to pick up the nuances of their parents' accents while still in the womb. It is already known that foetuses could memorise sounds from the outside world in the last three months of pregnancy and they are particularly sensitive to the contour of the melody in both music and human voices. Click here to read the full article as supplied by BBC health news

Steep rise in Down's pregnancies [October '09]   

As more women are having children later in life, continued monitoring of the numbers of Down’s syndrome babies is essential to ensure adequate provision for their needs. The risk of having a baby with Down’s syndrome is one in 940 for a woman aged 30.  But for those aged 40, the risk rises to one in 85. Click here to read the full news article supplied by The Times For advice on Nuchal scan for Down's screening, please telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Baby Premier scan helps dad bond with unborn child [Oct '09]   

The Halo clinic in Chippenham offers a relaxed environment and is easily accessible for patients from Bath, Bristol, Cirencester and Swindon. Click here to read news article from the Chippenham Gazette & Herald For advice or bookings telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Cambridge Clinic - NOW OPEN [October '09]   

Baby Premier clinics are now available at Bourn Hall Clinic, near Cambridge.  Bourn Hall Clinic was founded by the pioneers of IVF in 1978 and continues today in successfully 

treating many patients in IVF. Bourn Hall was originally a Jacobean country house dating from 1602, a 'sanctuary' within a relaxed and supportive atmosphere which is set within

22 acres of beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside giving easy access to patients from Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire. For advice or bookings, please telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Welwyn Garden City Clinic - NOW OPEN [September '09]

Baby Premier clinics are now available at The Retreat located within Gosling Sports Park, a 50-acre sports and leisure complex in picturesque Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.  The Park hosts a diverse range of leisure facilities and is home to Gosling Lifestyle - the regions premier day spa and fitness facility. Baby Premier in Welwyn Garden City is ideally situated serving the wider areas of Milton Keynes, Bedford and Aylesbury and is easily commutable via the M25, North London and Essex. For advice or bookings telephone us on 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

Life-threatening infections - Group B Streptococcus [Aug '09]   

Group B Strep (GBS) Bacteria kills 75 newborn babies a year in the UK.  The NHS does not routinely test for it and up to nine out of ten pregnant women have 'never heard' about Group B Strep Bacteria which infects 700 newborn babies each year in the UK.  A further 40 babies are left with serious long-term mental or physical problems, yet Group B Strep is usually preventable with antibiotic treatment for the mother during labour.  Dr Chris Steele, resident doctor on ITV's This Morning, is Group B Strep Support's Patron.  Known and trusted by millions, the family GP Dr Steele is renowned for his practical and open approach to airing medical issues in the media. Dr Steele said, "Ultimately I'd like to see every pregnant women in the UK offered a reliable test for GBS on the NHS - this test is routinely part of antenatal care in many countries like Australia, Canada, Spain and the USA.  Until then, raising awareness is the key to saving babies' lives.  I would urge any pregnant women to get informed about GBS and get tested." Click here to go to the Group B Strep support website or for advice on Group B Strep testing, call 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.

This test is available between 35-37 of pregnancy.

Chippenham Clinic - NOW OPEN [July '09]                                

Baby Premier has now opened a further clinic at The Halo Clinic based in the Hathaway Medical Centre, Chippenham, Hertfordshire.  The Halo Clinic is a highly professional team of medical practitioners committed to improving health using state-of-the-art technology.  The contemporary clinic in Wiltshire offers a relaxed environment and is easily accessible for patients from Bristol, Cirencester and Swindon. For advice or bookings, please telephone 0845 345 7262 or complete the enquiry form on the contact us page.