Summary
Queensland Health’s pregnancy care website is a newly launched platform designed to help women navigate their pregnancy journey.
Pregnancy is an exciting journey, but knowing where to start can be challenging for many parents.
That’s where Queensland Health’s pregnancy care website comes in, with a newly-launched platform designed to help women navigate their pregnancy journey.
The website emphasises the importance of two key scans: the 11-13 week and 18-20 week ultrasounds.
These scans help monitor the baby’s growth and development, identify potential abnormalities, and assess the risk of conditions like Down syndrome.
Queensland Health Director of Midwifery Gemma Macmillan said these scans were crucial for all pregnant women.
“They monitor the growth and overall health of the baby throughout pregnancy,” Gemma said.
“Without an early pregnancy scan, pregnant women will not know if their baby is growing and developing.
“It’s best if the 11-13 week scan is combined with a PAPP-A blood test, which is used for genetic screening, but by also having the ultrasound we can check for physical abnormalities.
“While a growing number of women may choose a different blood test—a non-invasive prenatal test or NIPT—to check for genetic abnormalities, it is still important to have a scan to look at the baby physically.”
Sonita Giudice (pictured above), a clinical midwifery consultant for Queensland Health’s Growing Deadly Families program and expectant mother, shared her experience.
“Having these ultrasounds reassured me that my pregnancy was progressing as it should,” Sonita said.
“I think having this type of information on a one-stop dedicated pregnancy website is beneficial on many levels.
It shows pregnant women what their choices are so they can be informed and choose what’s best for them in their pregnancy journey.
The website also provides information on various maternity care options, including home birth, shared care, midwifery group practice, and birth centres.
It emphasises the importance of early prenatal care and encourages women to seek appropriate medical care when they discover they are pregnant.
“Some women choose to have private obstetric care, but don't realise they can also have some additional midwifery support within that model of care,” Gemma said.
“Most women visit their GP for a referral to antenatal care after discovering they are pregnant and can also choose shared antenatal care with their GP.
"However, timely access to GP services isn't always possible. To address this, we are developing a self-referral portal on our website, allowing women to self-refer to the maternity team at their nearest health facility if they encounter delays accessing their GP.
“If we link with families early in their journey, we can help to navigate the system and provide the information and support that may be required to make decisions and plans about how the rest of their pregnancy care will play out.”
To combat online misinformation, the website offers accurate information about pregnancy care.
“By bringing together best-practice guidelines and culturally appropriate care options, we’re setting the stage for better pregnancy outcomes across Queensland,” Gemma said.
It’s a valuable resource for expectant mothers, empowering them to make informed decisions about their pregnancy journey.
For more information, check out the pregnancy care website, which is a guide for all mothers-to-be, through every stage of their pregnancy journey here: www.pregnancycare.health.qld.gov.au
Find out more about Queensland Health’s Growing Deadly Families program here: www.health.qld.gov.au/public-health/groups/atsihealth/health-priorities/maternity-services