ACCESSING AND ENGAGING IN MATERNITY SERVICES

Effective Midwifery Care for woman in vulnerable populations Continuity of CareInformed consent Midwife acting as Navigator and Advocate Midwife upholding woman, family and community Woman and her baby

Poverty is consistently found to be the most significant barrier to accessing and engaging in health care. A community based midwifery service reduces the barrier and increases the utilisation of health services greatly improving health outcomes.

Early pregnancy care It can be noted for the two midwives who have worked in the same geographical areas for 14 years that when they commenced midwifery clinics the women book on average at 20 to 30 weeks gestation and it would be a rare occurrence for that to happen now as the women who are returning to their midwife for repeat care want to turn up as early as they can after confirmation they are pregnant. Knowing and having a trusting relationship with a midwife promotes access to early pregnancy care.

We have an LMC model of care which if we fund at the appropriate level (for work in complex communities), support and value as a key player will counter some of the potential avoidable factors. Factors such as accessing and engaging with maternity care that impact on perinatal and maternal wellbeing and health.