Antenatal Care
About
Antenatal care refers to the planned visits between a pregnant woman and a midwife or doctor to assess and improve the wellbeing of the mother and baby throughout pregnancy. Effective models of antenatal care focus on the individual’s needs and preferences, collaboration, and continuity of care.
Regular antenatal care in the first trimester is associated with better maternal health in pregnancy, fewer interventions in late pregnancy and positive child health outcomes.
By Five are committed to the advocacy of sustainable, safe, quality maternity care models for rural areas with local women and families at the centre.
Antenatal Care in the Wimmera Southern Mallee
Understanding the Story
Throughout 2022 and early 2023, By Five undertook extensive mapping work, whereby local health services, local government and women in the community were consulted to understand what antenatal care currently looks like in the WSM, their lived experience and what changes or improvements they would like to see.
Information was collected in the context of antenatal, domiciliary, post-natal care, and maternal and child health care.
This work resulted in a report that will inform future work in the antenatal space to improve outcomes for women, children and families.
What’s Next?
By Five are supporting local stakeholders to explore and understand their work with families from conception to school age as an example of rural practice.
If you are a parent or professional and would like to share your story, get in touch.