NEWS RELEASE Friday May 2, 2003

WOMEN & MIDWIVES CELEBRATE
INTERNATIONAL MIDWIVES DAY MAY 5TH,
AND MOTHERS' DAY 2003

The Victoria Branch of the Maternity Coalition joins the Australian College of Midwives (Victorian Branch) in celebrating International Midwives Day on Monday May 5, and Mothers' Day.

Consumers of maternity services across Victoria are joining forces with midwives to send a clear message to the Health Department and to the Victorian and Federal Government: "Women want the care of a known midwife", said Leslie Arnott, President of the Vic branch of Maternity Coalition.

There has been a clear commitment from the Bracks Government with the Maternity Services Program. The Government realises that midwifery is an under-utilised workforce, and that early intervention is a must. "Women need to be supported and form a relationship of trust with one caregiver. "The Vic branch of the College of Midwives (ACMI) joins the Maternity Coalition in seeking a genuine commitment from the Bracks Government to provide one-to-one midwifery care now," said Vanessa Owen, National President of the ACMI.

Midwives have always been able to care for women through pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period; they are in-fact considered experts in normal birth by the World Health Organisation. "The midwife is the most appropriate and cost effective primary carer for healthy women," said Ms Owen.

"The withdrawal of specialist Obstetricians and GPs from maternity services has heightened the crisis for women," Ms Arnott claimed. "It's time women's needs in a basic essential service, maternity care, were re-considered."

"By implementing one-to-one midwifery across Victoria we will ü Attract former midwives back and retain many who are dissatisfied with the current system of maternity care that often does not satisfy women or midwives ü Reduce the huge over-servicing that results in high levels of maternal morbidity and has led to growing numbers of post-natal depression and problems in adjusting to mothering ü Stop the growing number of women, particularly in rural areas, who are forced to give birth away from their home and family support ü Make an attempt to provide Victoria's women with international best practice care, care that only 1% of Vic can access," said Ms Arnott.

"Urgent action is required by the Vic Health Department to ensure that suitable models of care are available to all women. We support the right of all women to choose their practitioner of choice, place of birth and suitable model of care. We also believe the majority of women are not well informed on the evidence demonstrating the benefits of midwifery led care." said Ms Arnott.

In countries such as New Zealand, the UK, the Netherlands and Scandinavia where access to midwifery models of care is available, women report greater satisfaction with their maternity care. They also enjoy significantly better health outcomes that include lower caesarean section rates and fewer newborn complications. The Netherlands has the best maternal and newborn health statistics in the world as well as the highest home birth rate.

"The Bracks Government and the Vic Health Department have promoted midwifery care through the Maternity Services Program. However it is our goal to ensure that any woman who wants to have one-to-one midwifery care, and any midwife who wants to act as a primary carer, can exercise that choice within mainstream maternity services. This is not yet available. Please Mr Bracks, provide Victorian women with best practice maternity care. You will save millions of taxpayers dollars," said Ms Arnott.

Media Contacts: Maternity Coalition Victoria Branch: Leslie Arnott 0412 707 001 
ACMI Victorian Branch: Vanessa Owen 0417 544 824

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