International Day of Rural Women – 15 October 2022
Access to maternity care is difficult for rural women. Many must travel long distances and accept unwanted (and unwarranted physiologically) interventions due service limitations.
In 2022, the Country Women’s Association (CWA) is spotlighted this issue for their annual Awareness week.
CWA NSW, supported by NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association and the Gidget Foundation are calling for:
- A review of rural and regional maternity and antenatal services by the NSW Government, in line with the recommendations within the NSW parliamentary inquiry report;
- The inclusion in this review of consideration for the reinstatement of rural and regional hospital birthing units in areas where they’ve been closed;
- Initiatives that boost the number of maternity health professionals in country NSW; and
- A more equitable distribution of resources that reflects the demand for maternity services in remote, rural and regional NSW communities.
It is recognised that continuity of midwifery led care though pregnant, birth and the first year of mothering improve outcomes for mothers and babies, and their families.
Living rurally or remotely should not mean a lack of support for this important life event.