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Do I need an appointment to meet my doctor in Al-Hayat Medical Center
Yes, an appointment before each visit to the center is important to avoid longtime waiting.
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If I have an appointment, will I see my doctor on time?
We promise you to spend every effort to help you meet you doctor on time. As you know, some patients needs more consultation time than others and more than the 15 minutes assigned in the computer. Taking an appointment will guarantee your priority and usually the delay ranges from 5 to 30 minutes.
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Can I pay my bill by checks or credit cards (VISA, MasterCard, ATM … etc)?
The bills are paid either by cash or credit cards. We apologize from not accepting checks.
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What are the working hours in the center?
The center opens on daily basis from 9AM to 1 PM and from 5 to 9 PM
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What are the days-off of the center?
The center is closed on Fridays and official national holidays in Qatar (Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha).
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Do you accept cards from insurance companies?
Yes, card holders from Al-Kout, AXA and ALICO are welcome. Other insurance card holders are also welcome but on cash and bill basis.
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I paid consultation fees with one doctor in the center, then I wanted to consult another doctor for the same reason on the same day. Do I need to pay the consultation fees again?
Yes certainly, each doctor had his own independent clinic.
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If I came back for follow up to the center within one week, should I pay a consultation fees again?
No, the follow up consultation is free within one week if it is for the same complaint and with the same doctor. If you choose a different doctor then you should pay again.
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What is the best diagnostic tool for pregnancy in its early stages?
The best diagnostic tool for early pregnancy is by doing a urine pregnancy test. It is economic and accurate in 99% of the cases. When the test is positive then no need to confirm it by doing a blood test (this is considered unnecessary expense). If the test is negative and we have high suspicion of pregnancy then we can do a blood test.
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What is the antenatal follow up program in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
Antenatal follow up in Al-Hayat Medical Center starts immediately after diagnosis of pregnancy until delivery using internationally accepted standards including :
- One visit every four weeks until 30th week.
- One visit every two weeks from 30th -36th week.
- One visit weekly from 36th – 40th week.
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What should I expect in my first visit to Al-Hayat Medical Center?
In your first visit an antenatal file will be opened for you where all the information regarding your obstetric, medical, surgical, allergy and social histories are registered. You'll you’re your urine and blood sugar tests done, Your weight and blood pressure taken and your doctor will give you Folic Acid tablets if you didn’t already start it before pregnancy. Finally he'll do an ultrasound to document gestational age, number of fetuses, their location and presence or absence of fet
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What should I expect in the follow up antenatal visits in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
In each visit your weight and blood pressure will be registered, your urine, hemoglobin and blood sugar tests will be done and your doctor will do an ultrasound scan for the fetus. He'll also ask you about any associated symptoms and give you the proper treatment.
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What is the program for early detection of chromosomal abnormalities in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
Using Ultrasound your doctor will measure the thickness of the nuchal fold of the fetus (nuchal translucency) and will search for the presence of nasal bone between 11th and 14th week of pregnancy. The absence of nasal bone and a nuchal translucency of more than 2.5 mm in considered an indication of possible chromosomal abnormality for which the patient will be referred to Feto-Maternal Unit for further investigation. A blood test (triple test) will be done at gestational age 16 weeks to determine fetal&
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How is gestational diabetes diagnosed and managed in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
In addition to the random blood sugar tests done in each antenatal visit; you'll be requested to do a fasting one hour-50 gm glucose tolerance test. The result will be considered normal if it is below 7.2 mmol/L. But if it is more than 11 mmol/L then gestational diabetes is diagnosed. If the result is between 7.2 and 11 mmol/L then the patient will be requested to do a fasting three hours-100 gm glucose tolerance test. In this case, gestational diabetes is diagnosed when two readings or more are abno
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How can I follow gestational diabetes and control it during pregnancy?
You'll be put in diabetic diet for two weeks, and then you'll do fasting blood sugar and two hours postprandial blood sugar test. The fasting blood sugar should be less than 5.3 mmol/L and the two hours postprandial test should be less than 6.7 mmol/L. If the readings are higher than this you'll be referred to diabetic doctor to start you in insulin. You should know that the strict control of diabetes is important to take the pregnancy to its happy end.
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Do you depend on Cardiotochography (CTG) for high risk pregnancy monitoring in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
Yes, CTG is still considered a major component of fetal health monitoring program due to its simplicity and accuracy. Monitoring starts usually at 36 weeks but in cases of intrauterine growth restriction it may start at earlier gestational age.
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How can I use contraceptive pills?
If you are using contraceptive pills for the first time, then start it on the first day of the cycle. Take it once daily for 21 days continuously. Stop the pills for seven days then start a new box. The period will come during the pill-free period.
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What if I had spotting while taking the pills?
Take two tab once daily for few days until no more bleeding.
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What should I do if I forgot to take a pill last night?
Take it when you remember (next day morning for example) then continue other pills as usual. Be careful not to repeat the incident frequently.
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Who can I use Clomid for ovulation induction and when should I come for ovulation monitoring using ultrasound?
Take two tab Clomid daily for five days starting on cycle day 3. Take appointment for ultrasound on cycle day 10 for ovulation monitoring.
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Is it possible to take Clomid without cycle monitoring with ultrasound?
Yes, especially if you did the monitoring with ultrasound and there was evidence of ovulation. If you did not do the monitoring, we are afraid that the Clomid dose is not enough and we could not increase the dose in the coming cycles.
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When can I shift from Clomid to other injectable forms of ovulation induction?
Usually, we use clomid for a maximum of 6 cycles. If we failed to achieve pregnancy then we start the injections.
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Can I have artificial insemination from my husband in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
Yes.
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Can I have In-Vitro Fertilization in Al-Hayat Medical Center?
No. This service is not available as it requires special laboratory and an operation theater which are available in Qatar only in Hamad Medical Corporation.
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What do you mean by 3D? and what is 4D ?
When we talk about 3D (3 dimensions) we mean the length, with and height. The fourth dimension is the time which gives life to the objects. In 3D ultrasound machines the operator has to spend effort to get the 3rd dimension which requires a little more time; while in the 4D machines the 3rd dimension is automatically obtained by the machine itself in different but successive times giving life to the image.
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What are the precautions before performing 3D/4D ultrasonography?
All what you need is an appointment, but sometimes your bladder should be full, especially in women who prefer abdominal rather than vaginal examination. In this situation, you shoud drink 4 cups of water or juice and wait for a while before examination.
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Is it a safe examination? And how much time it requires?
Yes it is, it is very safe and it requires from 10-20 minutes.
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When we consider 3D/4D ultrasound examination very important?
This examination is recommended for all pregnant women but some of them need it more than others (advanced age, previous baby with congenital anomalies, negative blood tests, family history of congenital anomalies, maternal exposure to teratogenic drugs or inhalation of toxic materials…. etc).
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What is the best time for 3D/4D ultrasound during pregnancy?
3D/4D ultrasound can be performed anytime and every visit during pregnancy. The minimum requirement is three examinations:
- At 12-14 weeks: for detection of some malformations such as anencephaly, spina bifida and malformations of the abdominal wall and extremities.
- At 20-24 weeks: for detailed fetal anomaly scan.
- At 30-34 weeks: for evaluation of fetal growth, fetal movements and muscular coordinatio
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Is there any guarantee to get good images as we can see on your website?
Image quality depends on many factors including thickness of the abdominal wall of the pregnant woman, position of the fetus in the uterine cavity, gestational age, amount of amniotic fluid around the fetus and, finally, experience of the sonographer. We can give guarantee for the last factor only.
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Can I get the photos and DVD?
Yes, of course, just before leaving the clinic.