Maternity Care Options

Choosing who you have caring for you throughout your pregnancy, labour, birth and beyond is an important decision.

The Maternity Care options available in Bundaberg and on the Fraser Coast are outlined below for your consideration.

Should you have any questions about these options, please speak to your GP or the midwives from our maternity units.

Standard hospital care

Your care is provided by midwives, doctors and obstetricians at Bundaberg or Hervey Bay hospitals, who are specially trained to look after you during your pregnancy, labour and after birth.

All your care will be provided at the hospital. Depending on your general health and/or pregnancy risk factors, your care will be provided by midwives and/or doctors and obstetricians.

Your GP will need to send a referral to the hospital antenatal clinic so an appointment can be made to commence your care. While we endeavour to have the same midwife or doctor to see you in the antenatal clinic, this is not always possible.

Midwifery Group Practice

Both Bundaberg and Hervey Bay maternity units offer Midwifery Group Practice as an option of care.

Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) is a service in which you are given care and support by a midwife who is primarily responsible for all your pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal care. This is called continuity of care.

This midwife works with a small group of other midwives, known as a Midwifery Group Practice (MGP). If you are accepted into the MGP for your pregnancy care, you will get to meet the other midwives in the MGP during your pregnancy. All your care will be provided in a community centre, at home or in hospital.

All births will be at the hospital. If your primary midwife is on leave or not on call when labour begins, you will be cared for by another MGP midwife whom you will have met during your pregnancy.

MGP care is offered to women who do not have too many factors that might complicate their pregnancy. If a condition develops during your pregnancy that requires medical or obstetric care, the midwife will organise that for you.

Numbers in this model are limited, therefore early referral (8–10 weeks if possible) from your GP is recommended.

For more information about Midwifery Group Practice, please go here.

GP shared care

This option is available for women who prefer most of their visits with their GP. It is recommended you attend visits at the hospital for booking-in at 12–14 weeks, to see midwives between 31 and 34 weeks and, if required, to see an obstetrician at 36 weeks.

Subsequent appointments are dependent on any factors complicating your pregnancy, in which case you may be referred to an obstetrician for specialist care.

All care during labour and after the birth will be provided by hospital midwives. You will be encouraged to make follow-up appointments with your GP following the birth. Not all GPs provide maternity shared care, so please check with your local GP whether this service is available.

Please ask the GP for an outline of expected fees.

Private obstetric care (Bundaberg only)

You may choose to receive care by a private obstetrician of your choice. Your GP will need to provide a referral for their service.

Your obstetrician is a specialist in pregnancy care and will provide all your antenatal care at their practice. They will work with the hospital midwives for your care during labour and the hospital midwives will provide your day-to-day care until your discharge.

You will usually see your obstetrician six weeks after the birth for a check-up.

Please ask the obstetrician for an outline of expected fees.

More Information

Should you have any questions about your maternity care, ask your GP or feel free to call our maternity units.

	Bundaberg Family Unit 4303 8410

	Marie Gundesen Women's Unit (Hervey Bay) 4325 6820

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Maternity Care Options