Core practices for quality antenatal care The core practices in pregnancy care are based directly on the content of the Pregnancy Care     Guidelines and include key information such as recommendations, information on tests and practice summaries.  While intended for health professionals, they are very useful for pregnant women. They can be found at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/core-practices-in-pregnancy-care  

Inquiry into Maternity Services in the ACT 2020 REPORT ON INQUIRY INTO MATERNITY SERVICES IN THE ACT Standing Committee On Health, Ageing And Community Services June 2020 The opening statement to the report is: I think we have tripped into a space where we deliver services that meet the needs of the services rather than

Political decisions can and do impact on economic & social inequities faced by women, through policies that shape maternity care.  Knowing what we now know, to continue with the current status quo is to provide less than optimal maternity care to the childbearing women of Australia. The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce is undertaking

Cultural Safety – Respect and Dignity We are often asked why cultural safety is an important part of respectful maternity care. Cultural safety incorporates physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being. A commonly used definition of cultural safety is that of Williams (1999) who defined cultural safety as: an environment that is spiritually, socially and emotionally

Human Rights Day Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December The maternity care that women receive intersects with her human rights to physical integrity, self-determination, privacy, family life, and spiritual freedom. In applying and advancing scientific knowledge, medical practice and associated technologies; human vulnerability should be taken into account. Individuals and groups

Why have a Birth Plan? Maternity care in Australia includes antenatal, childbirth and postnatal care for women and their babies. A Birth Plan is a documented record of you preferences for your maternity care.   A health professional for maternity care may be a Midwife, General Practitioner or Obstetrician   A Birth Plan is one

Principles for maternity care – Still relevant today The Government of Australia published the principles in 2011 and they are still relevant today Maternity care should be evidence-based and woman-centred, and acknowledge pregnancy, birth and parenting as significant life events for women. Woman-centred maternity care is responsive to women’s needs and preferences, and enables them

Continuity of carer matters for childbearing women   What is continuity of care? The National Maternity Service Plan defines ‘Continuity of Care’ as: “the practice of ensuring that a woman knows her maternity care provider(s) and receives care from the same provider, or small group of providers, throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and the postpartum period”

Don’t throw the birth plan out with the bath water! This welcome article explores the concept of legal consent and the use of birth plans to inform the consent process. The article reflects Safe Motherhood for All’s view of consent.  A woman always has a right to informed consent and the right of refusal of care.  Women