Dr Shalini Chawla

An Exceptional Obstetrician and Truly Remarkable Human Being I genuinely believe that without Dr Chawla coordinating my care, I am not sure my baby and I would have had the beautiful outcome we did. My pregnancy was not straightforward. I was dealing with gestational diabetes, pregnancy-induced hypertension, a significant risk of pre-eclampsia, and concerns around late IUGR. Given my own background working in healthcare, I naturally questioned things, challenged decisions and sometimes pushed back on interventions. Very quickly, however, I came to realise just how experienced, knowledgeable and intuitive Dr Chawla is. Her 35 years of experience as an obstetrician were evident in every decision she made. She went far beyond what I could ever have expected from a doctor. She was genuinely at my beck and call, communicating with me at all hours — even messaging me in the early hours of the morning with blood results, adjusting medications and continuously coordinating my care. I always felt that she was one step ahead, anticipating what might happen and making sure both my baby and I were safe. What has been particularly remarkable is that even after I was discharged, her care did not stop. She simply doesn’t stop caring for you once you leave the hospital. She has continued to personally manage and adjust my blood pressure medication, stay in regular contact with me, and check in to see how both my baby and I are doing. That level of continuity and genuine care is something I will never take for granted. When it came to my delivery, she went out of her way to ensure I ha...

My experience with Shalini was life changing. After a difficult first birth, I was very nervous about this second delivery. Shalini immediately put me at ease listening to my wishes and worries. She went above and beyond during the pregnancy, always available on WhatsApp and in person and super reactive. Beyond being a great doctor she also has many ressources and put me in touch with specialists for perineal exercises ahead of the birth and after, night nurses and lactation consultants. Medically she is quite impressive, remembering everything from the top of her head and treating every problem very fast. I was quite severely anemic and she gave me two iron infusions with was game changing for me in terms of energy and recovery. This was never offered to my during my first pregnancy and I think it would have been very helpful. When my died age approached my baby was breach and I didn’t want to have a c section so I went to have him turn manually and Shalini came to the appointment to support and help me even though she didn’t have to. It was a difficult process and she was extremely present both medically and mentally to support me. She understood my determination to flip the baby and supported my decision to try again. He eventually flipped and the delivery was everything I hoped for. Shalini respected my wish not to get induced with meds and gave time to my body to react to the sweeps. I had to deliver as I didn’t have enough amniotic fluid left. During the delivery she was extremely professional but also kind and reassuring. She made sure I was comfortable while ensuri...

Dr. Shalini Chawla was empathetic, kind, and ensured we were well informed through the journey - pre, during the birth, and after our little man entered the world. We utilised the consultations from 28 weeks, and this definitely gave us extra confidence when the big day (and night) came around. We were able to stick to our birthing plan, and even though there were a few rocks in the road, Shalini’s clear communication and wealth of experience gave us 100% confidence throughout. She goes above and beyond to ensure she is contactable at all times, and even after the baby was safely delivered, she visited us and still checks in regularly. We cannot recommend Shalini more highly - her personalised, compassionate approach created safety during an exciting, but stressful milestone in life. Thank you once again for everything! X

This was my second time delivering with Dr. Shalini. My first experience was so positive and felt so safe that I knew I wanted to deliver with her again as soon as I found out that I was pregnant. For my first delivery my baby was breech up until week 38 so we scheduled an elective c-section on 38+6 and everything went smoothly. For my second pregnancy I wanted to try for a VBAC and Dr. Shalini was supportive and guided me at every step to ensure that it was a safe option. She recommended additional scans at 32, 36, and 38 weeks gestation to check on baby's growth and size to plan for a VBAC accordingly. However, we found out during those scans that baby had a small VSD and that my amniotic fluid was measuring high. (Note: I highly recommend going for the additional scans because they proved to be extremely valuable in both pregnancies. In the first they revealed the breech presentation at 36 weeks, and in the second they revealed the VSD as well as the high amniotic fluid; all findings were missed during earlier routine NHS scans). Dr. Shalini was proactive and asked me to get additional tests including a glucose monitor, and make the necessary referral to a pediatric cardiologist. The glucose monitoring showed high readings, suggesting late onset gestational diabetes, and my amniotic fluid seemed to be increasing. Dr. Shalini was quick to inform me that these facts combined with other risk factors specific to my case would best be mitigated with a repeat c-section. She went above and beyond to make herself available during the span of a few days to talk us through every...

I would highly recommend Dr Shalini Chawla she looked after us for our first pregnancy from 32 weeks through to c section delivery. She was thorough from a medical perspective, picking up things that the NHS hadn’t flagged and was always contactable and available, including arranging a video call with us when she was on holiday. Shalini focussed on understanding my concerns and anxiety and was very reassuring, really helping me manage these. She carefully selected the anaesthetist based on who she thought would best suit us, which we really appreciated. From the beginning of the c section, she was gentle and attentive, really helping me to stay calm and create a positive birth experience. When the spinal was being done, she held my hand and spoke to us to keep me calm before lying me down for the procedure. She made me feel part of the birth throughout the procedure as I got to see my baby coming out, before being passed my baby following the initial checks. Following the birth she came to see me in recovery, and came back to the hospital the following day to check in on my recovery, after which she checked in frequently over the phone, ensuring I was okay both physically from the surgery, but also with the feeding of my baby, in addition to checking in on my mental health. Her calm and gentle demeanour really grounded me and helped us throughout the later stages of pregnancy and through the birth and recovery and we wouldn’t hesitate to use Shalini for future pregnancies and recommend her to anyone looking for a caring and clinically excellent obstetrician

I highly recommend Dr Shalini Chalwas. She is reassuring, warm, and extremely knowledgeable — the kind of doctor who makes you feel genuinely cared for. This was my husband's and my first child, and from the beginning Dr Chalwas guided us through the pregnancy and birth with empathy, skill, and professionalism. I felt completely comfortable in her hands, which meant a lot as first-time parents. At 36 weeks, my birth plan changed unexpectedly. Due to the baby's positioning, we needed to switch from a planned vaginal birth to a c-section, and I was quite nervous and anxious about the change. Dr Chalwas talked me through it patiently, answered all my questions, and helped me feel settled and confident about the new plan rather than just uneasy. On her recommendation, I delivered at the Portland Hospital, and it was a very positive experience overall. She is also incredibly responsive — always generous with her time and attention, whether in person, over the phone, or via WhatsApp. Dr Chalwas helped us navigate the pregnancy and birth of our first child with real care and expertise, and I recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone looking for an obstetrician.

I started my private maternity care with Shalini at 28 weeks during my first pregnancy. She was always responsive, answered my WhatsApp questions promptly and gave me helpful advice when my blood sugar was close to the upper limit. I was very keen to have a vaginal birth, and Shalini respected my wishes while closely monitoring my baby. When the baby’s heart rate became concerning during induction, she acted quickly and recommended an emergency caesarean at the right time. Although I was unable to have the vaginal birth I had hoped for, both my baby and I were safe, which was the most important outcome. I also felt that Shalini performed the caesarean very well. My recovery was quick, and the incision was neat and healed well. I appreciated Shalini’s responsiveness, experience and timely decision-making throughout my care.

Dr Chawla is an exceptional professional with a wealth of experience, as well as a truly compassionate and empathetic person. From our very first conversation, she made me feel understood, supported, and genuinely cared for, always keeping both my wellbeing and my baby's health at the centre of every decision. Throughout my pregnancy, we shared the priority of ensuring the best possible outcome for both my baby and me. While my preference was for a natural birth, Dr Chawla and I agreed on a flexible approach, balancing my wishes with the realities of the situation and remaining open to the possibility of a Caesarean section if needed. In the final weeks of my pregnancy, Dr Chawla checked in with me every few days and was always available to discuss the different possibilities. I was particularly keen to avoid an induction, but my baby remained very high up, making a natural delivery increasingly unlikely. Ultimately, I opted for an elective C-section, with Dr Chawla performing the surgery herself. As a first-time mother, I felt understandably nervous and apprehensive. However, Dr Chawla and the wonderful team at UCLH Fitzrovia provided constant reassurance and support, helping me stay calm and confident throughout the experience. The procedure went very smoothly, and I felt safe and well cared for every step of the way. My recovery was equally positive. Dr Chawla visited me on both days of my hospital stay and continued to provide support during an unexpected admission a few days later. Her attentiveness, professionalism, and genuine care made a tremendous difference to...

Dr Shalini is amazing! She approached me as an individual and not as a number. She took time to understand my specific situation, long term family planning and any relevant health conditions before making any recommendations and giving advice. She was clear in all her explanations and answered all my questions in detail. I felt confident in her professional ability throughout the whole process. Apart from being an incredible obstetrician she’s a wonderful person. She’s emphatic and available at any time of the day (my waters broke at 5am and she was ready to pick up the phone and get to the hospital ASAP!)!

Dr. Shalini was absolutely fantastic during the entire pregnancy and birth experience. She is super approachable and friendly and explained all results and developments clearly. Her surgical background combined with her confident and gentle demeanor provided me and my partner with a lot of comfort in our planned c-section. Lastly, she was very communicative and responsive throughout the pregnancy working closely with other doctors and teams as needed and adapting quickly when baby’s growth slowed to coordinate additional scans, change delivery date, etc. I can’t imagine a better obstetric consultant for us!