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A detailed fee schedule is provided with your Prospective Patient Questionnaire. Fees and charges are different depending on your Medicare eligibility status and private health fund level of cover.

Please note that outpatient consultation fees are not covered by private health insurance but do have a Medicare rebate. Our practice is privately billed, with payment required on the day of your appointment. Medicare rebates are processed electronically after payment and are paid directly to you.

Your private health insurance does not contribute at all to on call arrangements or out of hours services. Therefore, Pregnancy Planning and Management Fee is charged in line with standard private obstetric practice. This fee covers your ongoing pregnancy care, including 24-hour obstetric on-call availability, care coordination, support staff, and payment of professional indemnity insurance required to provide your care. A Medicare rebate is available for part of this fee.

Hospital admission and delivery costs are generally covered by your private health fund, subject to your level of cover. Dr Sylvester is a no-gap provider for all major health funds, although we recommend confirming your individual benefits directly with your insurer.

Please note that other providers involved in your care—such as the anaesthetist, paediatrician, ultrasound providers, and pathology services—will bill separately.

Some services provided within the practice are not eligible for Medicare rebates. Where applicable, you will be advised in advance.

We are committed to transparent pricing and informed financial consent. If you have any questions about fees, our administration team is happy to help.

Yes. We encourage you to contact us if you have questions or concerns about your pregnancy.

Administrative enquiries and simple questions can often be managed by our admin team by phone call or email.

Clinical concerns will be reviewed by either a midwife or Dr Sylvester. Depending on your needs, we may arrange a Medicare-eligible telehealth consultation or an appointment on the same day.

For emergency out of hours concerns you contact the midwifery team on St Mary's ward directly. They will liaise directly with Dr Sylvester on your behalf. The midwife will arrange assessment, monitoring or doctors review on St Mary's ward if required and will meet you at the door to the hospital. You'll receive detailed after-hours contact information during your first appointment.

Dr Sylvester books all non-emergency leave >12 months in advance and does not accept patients whose expected due date falls during a period of planned leave. If your due date is close to one of these dates, this will be discussed during your initial enquiry.

During scheduled leave, your routine antenatal appointments will be provided by her colleague, Dr David Mincham in the same rooms, this ensures seamless continuity of care.

Outside normal consulting hours, Dr Sylvester is on call for your pregnancy, as she lives close to SJOG Murdoch able to attend promptly when required.

As with all private obstetric practice, continuous on-call availability is not always possible. Dr Sylvester participates in a shared weekend on-call roster with her trusted colleagues Dr David Mincham, Dr Chris Gunnell and Dr Will Adams. They work closely with Dr Sylvester to ensure handover of clinical care and continuity throughout your pregnancy and birth.

Yes, but only in certain circumstances. Dr Sylvester is happy to perform VBAC in those patients where she has performed their caesarean section and where she feels this is a safe option and likely to be successful. However, your safety and that of your baby are her main priority. You are welcome to discuss your most appropriate mode of delivery at your first appointment.

Yes, we warmly welcome midwifery students who wish to learn about and experience private obstetrician led care. They are more than welcome to attend your appointments, ask questions and be as involved in your birth as you wish. As long as they are studying at a University which has a reciprocal arrangement with St John of God Hospital.

We practice in a way that is inclusive and nonjudgemental. We welcome patients from all backgrounds, and your care is individualized to you and your family- whatever that might look like for you. Dr Sylvester has cared for many patients from the LGBTQIA+ community, single parents and families with surrogate arrangements and is very much aware of the concerns you may have. The feedback has been extremely positive for both Dr Sylvester's care and their care in the hospital from all caregivers. Please feel free to ask if you have any specific requirements or concerns.