Media Release - Wednesday, 19 March 2003

Additional maternity services are on the horizon in the Illawarra.

NSW Health Minister Craig Knowles met with Illawarra Maternity Coalition, Local Members of Parliament and Senior Executive of Illawarra Area Health Service to discuss maternity services in the Illawarra. "At that meeting Mr Knowles expressed his unequivocal support for the principle of continuity of care with a midwife." said Ms Sanders, member of Illawarra Maternity Coalition.

After meetings and discussions with local consumer group, Illawarra Maternity Coalition, Illawarra Area Health Service has taken up this challenge and are negotiating for additional maternity services that will provide continuity of care with a midwife.

Ms Sanders commended Illawarra Area Health Services for their foresight: "We are delighted that Illawarra Area Health Services not only listened to consumers, but have followed this up with a positive approach to planning the implementation of continuity of care with a midwife to meet consumers needs."

The World Health Organisation, leading medical researchers, and local consumer group, Illawarra Maternity Coalition, all point to medical evidence that proves that when women are cared for throughout their pregnancy and birth by their own midwife, their need for medical interventions in childbirth drops significantly.

The Maternity Coalition estimates that halving the Caesarean section rate to internationally accepted levels would save at least $46 million dollars a year in NSW. This could realistically be achieved if healthy women are given access to one-to-one continuous care from skilled midwives.

Fewer than 1% of women in NSW currently have access to one-to-one midwifery in the public health system.

"This will create real choices for women living in the Illawarra, choices for midwives and have many positive benefits for long term health of mothers and babies." said Ms Sanders.

Contact: Karen Sanders 0414862949
Maternity Coalition Illawarra Group - L. Metcalfe 4268 1675
Website: www.maternitycoalition.org.au  E:Mail mc.nsw@bigpond.com 

P.O. Box 1190
Blackburn North,
Victoria 3130
Australia