What is Shared Maternity Care?
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Shared Maternity Care means that during your pregnancy you can visit both the hospital and your general practitioner or community midwife.
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Together, they will share your care. The birth of your baby is at the Royal Women's Hospital in Carlton.
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What are the benefits of Shared Maternity Care?
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The main benefit is that you can usually see the same care provider throughout your pregnancy. This might be your local doctor or a community midwife. This means you can:
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- see a care provider close to your home or workplace
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- continue to see the same provider after your baby is born
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Shared Care is also available to women who attend the Family Birth Centre and the Hospital Community Clinics.
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Shared Care providers may charge fees that are not covered by Medicare. The amount will vary amongst providers. Please discuss any questions about this with your chosen provider.
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The Royal Women's Hospital also runs community clinics that are operated by hospital staff, free of charge. If it is more convenient, you can choose to attend your hospital appointments at one of the community clinics instead of coming into the hospital. These clinics are located in Broadmeadows, Kensington, Fawkner and Moonee Ponds.
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Can the doctor I see now provide my care?
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Your local doctor/midwife must be accredited with the Royal Women's Hospital to provide Shared Care. If your local doctor/midwife is not accredited he/she may apply for accreditation at the hospital.
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On registration of Shared Care, you will be given a Pregnancy Record Folder. Please carry this with you to all visits during your pregnancy and when you come in to have your baby. This will ensure that details and information about your pregnancy are accurate and up to date. Results of any pathology tests or ultrasound performed at the Hospital will be available at your next visit with your Shared Care doctor/midwife. When attending your hospital visits at 26 and 36 weeks, please confirm your next hospital appointment before leaving.
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You may choose to stop Shared Care at any time during your pregnancy by contacting the Shared Care Coordinator. If you develop problems during your pregnancy Shared Care may not be suitable and your care may revert back to the Royal Women's Hospital clinics.
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Appointments
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** For your first hospital appointment telephone outpatients to arrange your pregnancy booking clinic. At this appointment you will need to discuss with the hospital doctor the option of shared maternity care with an accredited shared maternity care provider (GP or midwife). If shared care is agreed you should contact the shared care office to organise shared care appointments and correspondence with your shared care provider. **
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View the Shared Maternity Care schedule of visits to ensure you make all your appointments.
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For more information
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The Royal Women's Hospital
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Locked Bag 300
Grattan St & Flemington Rd
Parkville VIC 3052
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Tel: (03) 8345 2000
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Pregnancy booking and community clinic appointments at the Women's
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Tel: (03) 8345 3032
or (03) 8345 3033
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Shared Care Coordinator
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Tel: (03) 8345 2129
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Fax: not yet available
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Email: Shared Maternity Care Coordinator
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Related links
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The Shared Maternity Care Affiliates list can be found on our web page:
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http://www.thewomens.org.au/AccreditationAffiliatesList
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This fact sheet is also available for download as pdfs in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Khmer, Macedonian, Serbian, Somali, Tigrinian, Turkish, Vietnamese
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Last updated June 2008
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