In The Spotlight: Catherine's Gynaecologist

Monday 26th January, 2015

source: today.com

In the lead up to the birth of Catherine and William's second baby in April, we look at a key member of the medical team caring for The Duchess.

Alan Farthing is Surgeon-Gynaecologist to the Royal Household who has taken over from Marcus Setchell. Mr Setchell was the due to retire as the Royal Surgeon-Gynaecologist when The Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant with Prince George. He delayed retirement to care for Catherine in her difficult first pregnancy.

Mr Farthing has monitored Catherine throughout the debilitating hyperemesis gravidarum she has again endured.

The severe form of morning sickness was not treated until Catherine was very ill and weak during her early pregnancy with Prince George and this required a hospital stay. 

As her medical team was alert to a recurrence of the condition in subsequent pregnancies, The Duchess was promptly treated with anti-emetics (anti nausea drugs) and fluids at home in Kensington Palace.

Mr Farthing was born in Hampshire in 1963. He trained at St George's Hospital Medical School in London and qualified as a doctor in 1986. Farthing was appointed as consultant gynaecologist at St Mary's Hospital (where William and George were born) in 1997. He is also consultant at Imperial College, London,
Queen Charlotte's Hospital in Shepherd's Bush and The Wellington Hospital, St John's Wood. 

In 2008 he was appointed to assist Mr Setchell and as mentioned above, he has now taken over the role. Mr Farthing also has a private practice in Harley Street and his specialty is gynaecological oncology and also keyhole surgery.



part reference: wikipedia