The best public maternity care is just a phone call away
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Finding the best public maternity care is now just a phone call away, thanks to Canberra Maternity Options—a single access point for all public maternity care in the ACT.
Discovering you’re pregnant can be one of the most exciting moment of many women’s lives—it can also be one of the most overwhelming, especially if it’s your first baby. You’re faced with lots of decisions—from what to name your baby, to which pram to use.
But one of the most important decisions you’ll make is the type of care you want to receive throughout your pregnancy and birth. That’s why the ACT Government recently launched Canberra Maternity Options—a single access point for all public maternity care in the ACT—which Emmalee Hamilton, Acting Assistant Director of Nursing- Maternity Access Strategy with Canberra Health Services describes as “a really exciting move to improve care for women”.
So what’s it all about?
Essentially, once your pregnancy is confirmed and you decide you would like to give birth in the public system, you can call a single number—5142 9977—to arrange a meeting with a midwife who can discuss options for the best maternity care with you.
“Women will initially see their GPs for a referral, and they’ll be able to contact the Canberra Maternity Options number where they’ll be offered an appointment with a midwife at around 10 to 12 weeks, which is a lot earlier than what women are currently seeing a midwife for the first time, and is in line with the national pregnancy care guidelines,” says Emmalee.
“Part of the reason behind that early visit is to try and identify risk factors or vulnerabilities early, to make sure that women are referred to the most appropriate care provider and services earlier.”
Women will meet with a midwife in the community at a location closest to their home, where they’ll complete a comprehensive health and wellbeing assessment and discuss models of care that might be suitable, based on their preferences and health and wellbeing needs.
It’s a model based on providing continuity of care throughout the pregnancy.
“The evidence so strongly supports continuity in midwifery care—seeing the same midwife, or a small team of midwives throughout your pregnancy. When you’re comfortable and confident with your care provider, the evidence shows time and time again that the outcomes are generally better for both mum and baby,” says Emmalee.
But the importance of that comfort and confidence doesn’t end with the birth. Any mum of a little person knows just how vital it is to have a GP you know and trust during those early years.
“I think it’s really important to have women more familiar with what’s available in their communities. When they have this new little human to care for, they already know where they have to go, what’s available in the maternal and child health setting, and the additional support that is available away from a hospital setting.”
In addition to the structured care offered as part of Canberra Maternity Options, early pregnancy information sessions are being held, where attendees will learn about what public pregnancy and birthing options are available, as well as some important early pregnancy health information.
“The sessions will be facilitated by an experienced midwife who will provide information around models of care across the territory, as well as some early pregnancy information—because we know, especially for the women pregnant with their first baby, their information needs are high and they want to know, ‘What can I eat, what can’t I eat? Can I still exercise?’”
And the sessions aren’t just for pregnant women—they’re for someone planning a pregnancy, or partners, friends, or even future grandparents who are interested to know more about the system and what’s available.
After all, it takes a village.
For information on Canberra Maternity Options and the early pregnancy information sessions, visit health.act.gov.au/maternity.
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