MATERNITY COALITION NEWS RELEASE

Does the Stanhope Government care about mothers and babies?

The Canberra Midwifery Program will hold its Christmas Party tomorrow at Weston Park for women who used the service this year. “These are the lucky few women who were able to access the best practice maternity care offered by the Canberra Midwifery Program in 2004,” said Ingrid McKenzie spokesperson for ACT Branch of the Maternity Coalition.

“The Canberra Midwifery Program is the only maternity service which enables a woman to get to know her midwife during pregnancy, have that midwife at the birth and provide her postnatal care and support. This one-to-one care has been shown by numerous medical studies to be the safest form of care for at least 80% of pregnant women. Currently only 5% of women can access this service. Each month the Canberra Midwifery Program turns away at least 30 women. Women who ring to book in who are more than 5 weeks pregnant cannot book in.”

“ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has acknowledged the merit of this form of maternity care in the past. The report of the Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Health chaired by Kerrie Tucker recommended in May 2004 that the service be expanded. The Committee made a number of other important recommendations. Not only have the recommendations not been acted upon, the Government has still not responded to the report. Mothers and babies appear not to be high on the Government’s priority list.

“Women are queueing to receive this care which is supported by evidence to be safer and more cost-effective. How long do Canberra women have to wait?” asked Ms McKenzie

Come and meet some of the satisfied Canberra Midwifery Program customers at the CMP Christmas Party for women who used the service during 2004.

11am – 2pm Weston Park (opp railway), Yarralumla.

For more information contact

Ingrid McKenzie
0412 341 209