How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya?

How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya
Our Ultrasound services are Kshs.1, 500.
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How much does it cost for a pregnancy scan in Kenya?

Having a baby is an exciting time but it can be overwhelming for expectant parents, and if you’re an expat in another country, there are lots of things to think about. So, where do you start? In this article, we’ve looked at some of the benefits and pitfalls of the public and private health systems in Kenya when it comes to pregnancy, to help you make that all-important decision.

Private vs public Health care in Kenya varies greatly depending on where you are. In rural areas, health care is very basic and usually focussed on prevention and immunisation. The Kenyan government are introducing a universal health coverage programme including a maternity programme called Linda Mama.

This programme aims to provide free maternity care for all Kenya’s female citizens and reduce infant and maternal mortality rates. The public health system in Kenya works by escalating more serious issues up the system. The first point of contact is a dispensary, which provides preventative medicine, basic health education and out-patient treatment for illnesses such as uncomplicated malaria.

Dispensaries are run by nurses rather than doctors. Health centres are medium-sized facilities that can provide maternity care. However, if there are complications or you need a C-section, you’ll be escalated up the scale to a sub-district hospital. These are similar to health centres but usually have an operating theatre and are able to perform C-sections.

Public health facilities are often crowded and confusing. However, treatment is cheap by Western standards. Health care facilities in Kenya have a reputation for not letting patients leave until they’ve paid – although this is illegal, it’s still common.

  • Most expats choose to take out private health insurance schemes rather than use the public healthcare.
  • Anyone who can afford to will use a private hospital in Kenya.
  • There are private hospitals in most cities, but the well known international standard hospitals are in Nairobi and Mombasa.
  • Many expats also choose to travel abroad when they find out they’re pregnant, either to their home country or to South Africa – which has the highest standard of healthcare in Africa and a better reputation for maternity care than many of its neighbours.

Prenatal care Private hospitals offer a prenatal package, where you schedule your appointments in advance. They often include your prenatal consultations, tests and scans, your delivery and your stay in hospital. This usually works out cheaper than paying for visits individually; however, you’re unlikely to have a dedicated obstetrician (OB) and will be seen by whichever OB is working at the time of your appointment.

These packages usually cost around KSH 130,000, which also includes the cost of a routine delivery. However, don’t be surprised if the costs don’t end there. It’s common for additional costs to be added on top of the package rate, such as meals, care for your baby, additional medical interventions or extended stays in hospital.

An individual prenatal visit to a private doctor that isn’t part of a package will cost a few thousand Kenyan Shillings, with additional costs for any tests and scans that you receive. An ultrasound can cost between KSH 600 and KSH 4,000. If you’d rather choose your own OB, there are many online forums and discussions that could help you decide.

Take your time to research your OB and choose one that comes highly recommended. Or, if you’ve got your eyes on a particular hospital, you’ll need to ask which OBs work there, and decide if you’re happy with them treating you. Some hospitals in Nairobi and Mombasa offer maternity tours early in your pregnancy.

These visits can help you to decide which hospital is right for you. You may be able to meet some of the medical staff and talk to patients about their experiences. Your delivery You’ll be able to discuss your birth plans with your OB at your prenatal check-ups.

  • The international-standard hospitals in Mombasa and Nairobi will aim to give you the birth experience you want – whether that’s a private room, a water birth or a C-section.
  • A normal delivery can cost between KSH 40,000 and KSH 130,000 and a C-section can cost between KSH 100,000 and KSH 260,000.
  • You’ll often be able to choose whether you’d like an OB or midwife to be your primary health professional during your delivery.

Some women in Kenya choose to use a Doula throughout their pregnancy. A Doula provides non-clinical support before, during and after the birth and can help you get the delivery experience you want. They have lots of experience with pregnancy, birth and pregnancy systems.

  • There are two types of Doulas in Kenya – a birth Doula, and a postnatal or postpartum Doula.
  • A birth Doula will work with you during pregnancy and labour.
  • They will usually do a follow up visit after you’ve had your baby to see how you’re settling.
  • A postnatal or postpartum Doula will support you after the birth and support you through the challenges involved in breastfeeding.
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They’ll also help you with bathing your new baby, soothing them and help you to settle into the new life that comes with being a new parent. The cost of a doula varies, but is usually between KSH 15,000 and KSH 40,000, depending on how many sessions you have before and after delivery and how much the individual charges.
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How much does it cost to scan pregnancy?

  • List
  • Early Pregnancy
  • NT Scan
  • Level 1
  • Level 2 Anomaly Scan
  • Fetal Echo

The pregnancy ultrasound is a test done on the pregnant woman’s body to check the growth of the fetus. A pregnant woman undergoes various ultrasounds during the different trimesters of pregnancy. Pregnancy ultrasound cost ranges from Rs 500 to Rs 3000, depending on trimester & detailing. Get Pregnancy Ultrasound Details, Price and Book Online at Ultrasound Centre near you. Here is a list of ultrasound scans during pregnancy

  • Early Pregnancy Scan: 1st Trimester
  • Ultrasound NT/ NB Scan: 1st Trimester
  • Ultrasound Level 1: 1st Trimester
  • Ultrasound Level 2/ Anomaly / Tiffa Scan: 2nd Trimester
  • Growth Scan: 3rd Trimester
  • Doppler Pregnancy : 3rd Trimester
  • Fetal Echo: 3rd Trimester

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Is it worth paying for an early pregnancy scan?

4/ Should you get an early pregnancy scan? – ‘Early pregnancy scans can help in diagnosis and management of early pregnancy complications,’ says Flemming. ‘If you experience pain or bleeding in early pregnancy or have any specific risk factors, an early pregnancy scan will usually be recommended.
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Which scan is best for pregnancy?

What is an ultrasound? – Ultrasound is a scan that uses high frequency sound waves to study internal body structures. The sound waves are emitted from a vibrating crystal in a handheld scanner. The reflected sound waves or ‘echoes’ are then translated into a grainy, two-dimensional (or sometimes three-dimensional) image on a monitor.
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How soon can you see pregnancy on a scan?

Early Pregnancy Complications The main reason for carrying out scans in early pregnancy is to confirm that the pregnancy is developing normally and to rule out miscarriage. Miscarriage is the most common of early pregnancy complications which affects approximately one in every six early pregnancies.

  • However, not all women who experience pain and bleeding suffer miscarriage and ultrasound scans are necessary to see if pregnancy is developing normally despite women having symptoms.
  • Other early pregnancy complications include ectopic pregnancy, when a pregnancy grows outside the cavity of the uterus (womb).

Ectopic pregnancies are relatively rare compared to miscarriage, but they are potentially more harmful to women’s health and it is important to diagnose them as soon as possible. Ultrasound can also be used to determine how old pregnancy is if a woman is not certain of her last period or has irregular cycles. How early can a healthy pregnancy be seen on ultrasound scan? The earliest an ultrasound scan can identify a healthy pregnancy inside the uterine cavity is 17 days after the egg was released from the ovary (ovulation). This is approximately three days after a missed period. How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Normal early pregnancy four days after missed period How does early pregnancy look on ultrasound scan? How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Live pregnancy on scan two weeks after missed period For the first two weeks after a missed period early pregnancy appears on the scan as a small fluid filled bubble as the embryo (future baby) is too small to be seen yet. The embryo with its heartbeat is first seen 12-17 days after the missed period (i.e.

  • At around six weeks’ gestation calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period).
  • The presence of the heartbeat is a very reassuring sign, which indicates that the risk of pregnancy miscarrying is low.
  • From then on, the embryo grows very quickly and three weeks after a missed period head and body can be seen on the scan.

Four weeks after the missed period many fine details of the embryo can be seen including brain, spine, arms and legs. The heart rate also increases rapidly and peaks at four to five weeks after the missed period (8-9 weeks’ gestation). When is the best time to attend for an early pregnancy scan? Women who have positive urine pregnancy test and who experience vaginal bleeding or lower abdominal pain should attend for early pregnancy scan without delay regardless how many weeks they are pregnant. How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Live embryo three weeks after missed period How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Live embryo four weeks after missed period Miscarriage is diagnosed on ultrasound when there is a fetal pole (an embryo) visible, but the heart is not beating. When a miscarriage happens very early in pregnancy before the embryo develops, the diagnosis of miscarriage is not always straightforward and sometimes repeated scans are needed before the diagnosis could be reached.

In many cases of miscarriage, the pregnancy is passed naturally from the uterus by strong contractions and with bleeding. Ultrasound may be helpful to determine whether the natural process of miscarriage has been completed or whether surgery or medical intervention may be required to speed recovery. Early pregnancy complications which are located outside the uterine cavity are described as ectopic pregnancies.

They are relatively rare and they occur in 1-2% of all pregnancies. The most common location of ectopic pregnancy is in the Fallopian tube, but they may occur anywhere in the pelvis. Risk factors for tubal ectopic pregnancy are history of pelvic infection, history of infertility and increased maternal age.

Women who fall pregnant whilst using coil for contraception and those who have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past are at particularly high risk of having an ectopic pregnancy. Ultrasound is the only method which provides a reliable diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy prior to surgery. All our consultants are experts in the ultrasound diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

In some cases, an ectopic pregnancy may lead to serious internal bleeding and prompt, accurate diagnosis helps to avoid delays in referring women for emergency surgery. The majority of women with ectopic pregnancies present with mild symptoms, which do not require immediate operation. How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Live Caesarean scar pregnancy This type of ectopic pregnancy occurs when a pregnancy implants into a hole in the uterine muscle caused by poor healing after previous Caesarean section. Women who had two or more Caesarean sections are at particularly high risk of developing these early pregnancy complications.

The diagnosis of Caesarean scar pregnancy is not always easy and it requires a high level of ultrasound skill. The main risk of Caesarean scar pregnancy is severe bleeding from the uterus which can happen even when pregnancy is very early and can lead to a hysterectomy and loss of woman’s fertility. We also have particular interest in the diagnosis and management of Caesarean scar pregnancy and other rare ectopic pregnancies such as cervical, interstitial and intramural pregnancy.

Our team is particularly well known for their expertise in the diagnosis and management of Caesarean scar ectopic pregnancy and we regularly see women with this condition who are referred to us from all parts of the UK and many European countries. Pregnancy of unknown location Sometimes pregnancy cannot be seen on the scan although the urine pregnancy test is positive.

This is described as a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL). In most cases this is because miscarriage had happened before women attend for the scan. It usually takes for a couple of weeks for pregnancy hormones to clear after miscarriage which explains why the pregnancy test is still positive. Some women are not sure when they may have fallen pregnant and they may attend for the scan before pregnancy is large enough to show on ultrasound.

A small proportion women with PUL are diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy on follow up scans. We have developed our own highly effective method for assessing women presenting with PUL. We carry out a blood test to measure of hormones ß-hCG and progesterone. How Much Is Pregnancy Scanning In Kenya Twin pregnancy at 6 weeks
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When should I scan for pregnancy?

First-trimester ultrasound – An early ultrasound is often a routine part of prenatal care between 6 and 9 weeks of pregnancy, though it can happen anytime before week 14. But a first-trimester ultrasound isn’t standard practice because it’s still too early for your practitioner to see your baby in detail.

  • Most practitioners wait until at least 6 weeks to perform the first pregnancy ultrasound.
  • However, a gestational sac can be seen as early as 4 1/2 weeks after your last period, and a fetal heartbeat can be detected at 5 to 6 weeks (though that isn’t always the case).
  • If your doctor does decide to perform an early ultrasound, it gives you a welcome first glance of your baby.

This sneak peak is used to:

Confirm your estimated due date more accurately by measuring the fetus Check the fetal heartbeat Make sure the pregnancy is in the uterus (to rule out an ectopic pregnancy )Determine whether you’re carrying multiples

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Can I scan pregnancy with phone?

No home scanning device, doppler or app can tell you if your baby is well Our midwife Kate strongly advises against using home devices for ‘reassurance’, or mobile apps that falsely claim to be able to monitor your baby’s heartbeat. We’ve noticed a worrying rise in the number of mobile apps claiming to be able to monitor your unborn baby’s heartbeat, and now there’s even a device that supposedly allows you to do home scans! As with, these apps and devices may sound tempting but they are not a safe way to listen to your baby’s heartbeat or check if they are well.

  • That can only be done by a midwife or health professional who has received special training and knows what to listen and look for.
  • Unless you are professionally trained, it is easy to confuse what you are hearing or seeing and be falsely reassured.
  • There is also little regulation of these apps and devices, and the claims they make.
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There is often no way of knowing if the technology has been tested, how it’s been tested, and whether any health professionals have been involved.
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What happens when you go for your first pregnancy scan?

What will happen at the scan? – Most scans are carried out by sonographers. The scan is carried out in a dimly lit room so the sonographer is able to get good images of your baby. You’ll be asked to lie on your back and reveal your tummy. The sonographer will put ultrasound gel on your tummy, which makes sure there is good contact between the machine and your skin.
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How many weeks can scan detect pregnancy?

First-trimester ultrasound – An early ultrasound is often a routine part of prenatal care between 6 and 9 weeks of pregnancy, though it can happen anytime before week 14. But a first-trimester ultrasound isn’t standard practice because it’s still too early for your practitioner to see your baby in detail.

Most practitioners wait until at least 6 weeks to perform the first pregnancy ultrasound. However, a gestational sac can be seen as early as 4 1/2 weeks after your last period, and a fetal heartbeat can be detected at 5 to 6 weeks (though that isn’t always the case). If your doctor does decide to perform an early ultrasound, it gives you a welcome first glance of your baby.

This sneak peak is used to:

Confirm your estimated due date more accurately by measuring the fetus Check the fetal heartbeat Make sure the pregnancy is in the uterus (to rule out an ectopic pregnancy )Determine whether you’re carrying multiples

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In which month of pregnancy scan is done?

Nuchal translucency scan – The nuchal translucency scan (also called a ‘12 week scan’) is usually done at 12 weeks of pregnancy, although it can be done anytime between 11 weeks and 13 weeks, 6 days of pregnancy. The term ‘nuchal translucency’ is referring to one of the key measurements taken during this ultrasound.

This measurement provides some information to assess your babies risk of being affected by a chromosomal abnormality. If you choose to have additional prenatal screening, results of this ultrasound may also be combined with a blood test to further calculate the risk that your baby may have a chromosomal abnormality, such as Down syndrome,

Similar to a dating ultrasound, this scan can also check your babies growth, estimate due date and check the physical and structural development of you baby.
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When can you start scan for pregnancy?

When Can You Have an Ultrasound Scan? – The earliest pregnancy scans are usually offered from just 7 weeks, We are already able to get pictures of your baby through an abdominal ultrasound at this early stage of pregnancy. The ultrasound probe is simply moved across your belly to create pictures of your baby.

In rare cases, your doctor might recommend a scan before 7 weeks if you have symptoms such as pain on one side of your belly. The scan won’t be able to see much and will need to be performed trans-vaginally, but we will be able to tell where the pregnancy is located. We can therefore check to see if it is an ectopic pregnancy, which means the embryo has implanted outside the womb.

If this happens, then it won’t be possible to continue with the pregnancy and you will need treatment right away. We can also check for other possible causes of your symptoms, such as ovarian cysts or fibroids.
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