Meet our specialists, our specialists are experts in ultrasound, high-risk obstetrics, reproductive genetics and prenatal diagnostics. All of our specialists are COGU qualified obstetricians and gynaecologists. COGU meaning they have undertaken further training to obtain the sub speciality Certification in Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound. Many of our specialists also hold their DDU (Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound). Our specialists are leaders in Ultrasound for Women, furthermore many Obstetricians and doctors rely on us for a professional second opinion.
A/Prof Andrew McLennan
BSc MB BS (Hons) FRANZCOG MRCOG COGU
Associate Professor Andrew McLennan is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist whose particular interest is in prenatal diagnosis and ultrasound. He is a consultant to the Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital, a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and a Sonologist at Sydney Ultrasound for Women.
In a national first, Andrew introduced Nuchal Translucency (NT) screening for Down syndrome to Australia, helping to revolutionize the way prenatal screening for chromosome abnormality is conducted. He is the founding Chairman of the National Early Pregnancy Assessment Program and the past President of the Australian Association of O&G Ultrasonologists.
Andrew has been involved in educating doctors and sonographers in Australia and South-East Asia in the conduct of early pregnancy screening for fetal chromosome abnormalities and adverse pregnancy outcomes. He is actively involved in research into early diagnosis of fetal abnormalities and quality assurance in ultrasound.
Dr Sashi Siva
MB BS (UNSW), FRANZCOG, DDU, COGU
Sashi Siva is a graduate of the University of NSW (MB BS, 1991), having then obtained both her Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FRANZCOG), Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound (DDU) and Sub-speciality COGU certification.
Further experience was undertaken at the Fetal Medicine Unit at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) from 1998, Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW), and at the Ultrasound Department of the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne (RWHM). This training led to the Certificate of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound (COGU) Sub-speciality. She became a Partner at Sydney Ultrasound for Women in 2005.
Sashi is a Senior Consultant Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) at the Fetal Medicine Unit of Royal North Shore Hospital, where she is currently involved in teaching specialist Registrars and Medical students about Pregnancy ultrasound and related invasive procedures such as CVS and Amniocentesis.
As an “older” parent, Sashi has a particular interest in the concerns of pregnancy at an “advanced age”, and is committed to addressing fertility and pregnancy related issues for our SUFW patients.
Sashi has a keen interest in all aspects of gynaecological ultrasound especially involving Adolescent Gynaecology, Infertility, and Endometriosis work-up including Tubal patency testing, and assessing Uterine cavity abnormalities with Sonohysterograms and HycoSy’s.
She has obtained the Certificate of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Scanning, and has been performing these scans with a modified Sonovaginography technique.
Post-menopausal gynaecological ultrasound issues are also of particular interest to Sashi; she is a Member of the Australian Menopause Society.
She is the President of the Australasian Society of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound (AAOGU) and has also been a Committee member for several years. She is an examiner for the Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound (DDU), and is on the Board of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) DDU examination committee.
Sashi has presented and taught Workshops at both local and International Conferences in the area of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Ultrasound.
Dr Ritu Mogra
FRANZCOG, DDU, COGU
Dr Ritu Mogra is a specialist Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with subspecialisation certification in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Ultrasound.
She is currently Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology ultrasound department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and a consultant at Sydney ultrasound for women, Sydney, Australia. She completed Fellowship at King’s College Hospital, London, where she developed her specialised knowledge of fetal cardiac echography under the direction of Prof Lindsey Allan.
Her main area of subspecialty interest is early fetal echocardiography- for screening, diagnosis, and management of congenital heart defect. She has successfully developed these services at RPA hospital and Sydney ultrasound for women. Her other area of interest includes complex pregnancy and monochorionic twins. She is passionate about teaching and regularly holds courses/ conferences in basic and advanced ultrasound for trainees and specialists in Australia and overseas.
Dr Patricia Lai
MB BS (SYD), FRANZCOG, DDU, COGU
Dr Patricia Lai is an obstetrician and gynaecologist who sub-specialises in Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound. Patricia is a graduate of Sydney University, having obtained her Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound in 2007 and her Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FRANZCOG) in 2008. Further training was undertaken at the Fetal Medicine Unit at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA) and Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW). In 2009 Patricia attained the Certificate of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound (COGU) subspecialty qualification.
Patricia has worked as a consultant (VMO) at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in the Fetal Medicine Unit and is currently part of the medical specialist team at SUFW.
Patricia has been a committee member of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RANZCOG) subspecialty committee for COGU since 2012. She served as deputy chair from 2016 to 2018, and has been elected chair of the RANZCOG COGU subspecialty committee from 2018 to 2021.
She is also currently a member of the Australasian Society of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound (AAOGU).
Patricia is also actively involved in teaching of registrars and Fellows from both RPA and Liverpool hospitals. She is involved in teaching and presentations at sonographer and genetic counsellor meetings within SUFW and externally to General Practioners and at National meetings including conferences for the Australian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM). She is also an examiner for the COGU subspecialty.
As an SUFW specialist doctor, she performs all aspects of gynaecological ultrasounds and procedures including deep infiltrating endometriosis directed scans, as well as obstetric ultrasound and related invasive procedures.
As a mother, Patricia can empathise with the issues of balancing, work and family responsibilities. She understands the stressors surrounding pregnancy and finds that antenatal investigation plays a major role in providing total patient care.
A/Prof Fergus Scott
MB BS (UNSW), FRANZCOG, DDU, COGU
Associate Professor Fergus Scott graduated from Monash University in Melbourne. He undertook subspecialty training in the Fetal Medicine Unit at King George V Hospital, Sydney and in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane. On completion of his subspecialty training he was the only Australian obstetrician with two subspecialties in both Maternal Fetal Medicine and Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound.
Fergus has served as an examiner for the Diploma of Medical Ultrasound and the Diploma of Diagnostic Ultrasound, as well as being on the Medical Council of the Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) and became the ASUM President. He was on the medical council of the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology representing ASUM, as well as being on the subspecialty committee for Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasound for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist and is a past chairman of that committee. Currently he is the chair of the written examination for the subspecialty.
Fergus first started working with Sydney Ultrasound for Women (SUFW) in 1996 and became a partner six months later. “Dealing with healthy people having a child is one of the few happy events in medicine,” commented Fergus. “One area of this that makes a real difference is ultrasound and prenatal diagnosis.”
Although dealing with what is perceived as women’s health, Fergus tends to think of it as the reproductive health of the couple. “Although much of it affects the female physically, it is usually a couple that enjoys the good news or copes with the bad news,” said Fergus.
His main interest had been in prenatal diagnosis and prenatal screening, including NIPT, Nuchal Translucency, CVS and amniocentesis. It is an area he believes makes the most difference. The affect of abnormality on a child involves the whole of its life and the affect on the family is enormous.
Fergus said Sydney Ultrasound for Women is often used for second opinions by other practices. Having respect from his medical peers is absolutely imperative. “The majority of our patients are referred to us by obstetricians and GPs and their trust in our ability has been instrumental in the growth of Sydney Ultrasound for Women.”
“We try to provide an all-encompassing care package from an obstetric and gynaecologic point of view,” he said. “We aim to operate at the leading edge of our field. When developments emerge regarding prenatal diagnosis, we try to adopt them as soon as possible.”
“Having introduced NT screening into Australia, and now being the largest provider of NIPT, we feel that we are producing the best results the test is capable of achieving and try to improve with each new technological development.”
Dr Kathryn Graham
BMedSc (Hons), MBBS, FRANZCOG, DDU, COGU
Dr Kathryn Graham is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with subspecialty qualifications in Obstetrics and Gynaecological Ultrasound.
Kathryn completed her medical degree at the University of Sydney and her obstetrics & gynaecology specialist training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA).
Kathryn has worked in the fetal medicine units at RPA and Westmead Hospitals, as well as the private sector.
in addition to joining Sydney Ultrasound for Women in 2019, Kathryn remains a Staff Specialist in Westmead Institute for Maternal and Fetal Medicine (MFM).
She is an examiner for the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine and has published research in Obstetric Ultrasound. Kathryn has a special interest in fetal anomalies and is committed to providing high level clinical care to her patients in a compassionate and understanding way.
Dr Lauren Akesson
MB BS (Hons) PhD FRACP
Dr Lauren Akesson is a specialist Clinical Geneticist with a particular interest in helping families through their diagnostic journey. Lauren provides clinical genetics consultations and support for Sydney Ultrasound for Women, Monash Ultrasound for Women, and Monash IVF.
Lauren graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2006, followed by a PhD involving research on infants and young children with cystic fibrosis. She continues to be a passionate clinician researcher interested in bringing the latest evidence to the practice of medicine, and providing compassionate family centred care for her patients. Lauren underwent specialist paediatrics training in Perth, Darwin, and Melbourne, before training in clinical genetics in Melbourne. With a special interest in the diagnosis of genetic conditions, Lauren is undergoing further specialist training in Genetic Pathology in Melbourne and Adelaide.
With a keen interest in taking genetic testing into the future, Lauren recently received the Melody Caramins RCPA Foundation Grant to introduce new genetic testing technologies into the clinic. In addition to her clinical roles, Lauren loves the smell of lavender fields and some of her favourite memories involve walking her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel along the coast. She sees a future where all couples have access to genetic testing to support their family goals.