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What is Maternity/Obstetrics?
Maternity/Obstetrics is the area of health concerned with the care of women during pregnancy (antenatal), labour and birth, and the 6 weeks after childbirth (postnatal).
Once pregnancy is confirmed, regular antenatal checks should be performed by a midwife, GP or obstetrician (doctor who is specialised in obstetrics). In the first 28 weeks, these checks are every 4 to 6 weeks but will increase as the pregnancy progresses.
Maternity Services Provided by Counties Manukau Health
Counties Manukau Health maternity services are located at
- Middlemore Hospital
- Botany Downs Primary Birthing Unit
- Papakura Primary Birthing Unit
- Pukekohe Primary Birthing Unit
Primary Birthing Units
Primary maternity services (for women with low risk pregnancies) are offered at Botany Downs, Papakura and Pukekohe Primary Birthing Units.
Antenatal care is offered from onsite clinics and out of hours for any concerns related to the pregnancy. Labour/birth care is provided by experienced midwifery staff in the unit or by your self employed midwife who has access to use the facility. These midwife-led units offer pools for labour and/or water birth as an option during childbirth.
Many women transfer to one of the units soon after birth for their post natal stay if they did not birth there. All units have BFHI accreditation recertified in 2011 (since 2007).
Options for Maternity Care with Counties Manukau Health:
- Counties Manukau Health Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) Team
These employed midwives provide continuity of care throughout your pregnancy, labour and postnatal period. A team midwife is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The midwives have easy access to consultation with obstetricians and may continue care if your pregnancy becomes high risk. - Shared Care
A small number of family doctors (GPs) contract with our maternity services to provide some of the care during your pregnancy. You visit your GP antenatally plus have 3 scheduled appointments with a CMDHB named midwife at 31, 34 and 36 weeks pregnant. You birth at the unit of your choice with the unit staff in attendance and are then visited at home after the baby is born, by the same midwife you saw during your pregnancy. - Primary Maternity Services
You are allocated a named midwife/back up midwife for each appointment and will have all of your antenatal care with the midwife. Antenatal clinics are held in community clinics often at GP surgeries or the three primary birthing units in Pukekohe, Papakura and Botany Downs. Birthing for low risk women is encouraged at one of these primary birthing units, but for the women who live near to it, Middlemore Hospital offers primary care too.
Specialised Services
- Obstetrician Review
An obstetrician is a specialist doctor who provides care for women with complications from the last pregnancy, during this pregnancy, childbirth or the postnatal period. If you require this level of care during antenatal, labour or postnatal periods, your midwife/GP will discuss referral with you. You may see the obstetrician once or multiple times depending on the circumstances. Obstetrician clinics are offered at Manukau and Botany SuperClinics™ as well as Pukekohe and Papakura Maternity Units.
Birthing for women who require secondary care will usually be at Middlemore Hospital. - Young Mums Pregnancy Service
This service is provided for pregnant adolescent women who are under 18 years at the time of booking in their pregnancy. The service works alongside Te Kaha Rangatahi Trust and provides continuity of midwifery care during the antenatal and postnatal period together with social and peer support services provided by the Trust. There are dedicated social workers and community health workers. - Obstetric Medical Clinic (OMC)
This is a service for women with very complex medical problems before or during pregnancy. Women are seen by a specialist team and, if required, monitored closely during their pregnancy and postnatally. Continuity of care is provided either with the self employed midwife or by the obstetricians, specialist midwives and physicians (medical doctors) who make up OMC. - Diabetes in Pregnancy Service
This service provides close monitoring of your pregnancy if you have pre-existing diabetes or if diabetes occurs during pregnancy. The service consists of midwives, obstetricians, diabetologists, and dietitians. Continuity of care may still be provided along with your self-employed or named midwife in many cases.
Services Provided by Middlemore Hospital
- Primary, secondary and tertiary inpatient and outpatient services
- Antenatal appointments in outpatient clinics
- Assessment, Labour and Birthing Unit (ALBU) - a 24-hour unit for emergency antenatal/postnatal assessments, labour and birthing for women with high risk pregnancies, and low risk women living in the Mangere, Otahuhu, Papatoetoe areas.
- Maternity Ward - antenatal and postnatal inpatient services for those who have risk factors or a baby requiring hospital care. The emphasis is on families, education and self care.
- Neonatal Unit - intensive or special care for babies requiring additional services after birth
- Gynaecology Care Unit and Early Pregnancy and Assessment Clinic (EPAC) - provides assessment and care for women up to 21 weeks pregnant with GP or LMC referral
- Postnatal home visits service from the day after you go home up to 6 weeks
Middlemore site facilities:
Assessment, Labour and Birthing Unit (ALBU)
Located on the 2nd floor of the Galbraith Building (adjacent to the main road next to the Emergency Department). The entrance for labouring women/urgent antenatal problems is from the main road (signed Birthing Unit) opposite the train station, straight ahead to the lifts and up to 2nd floor reception.
For all other women coming to the Unit and visitors, please drive to car parking behind the building and follow directions from the main hospital entrance.
The facilities at Middlemore Hospital were relocated in October 2007 and offer up-to-date technology within modern rooms.
Facilities in ALBU are:
- 17 birthing rooms, all with ensuites
- 4 birthing rooms with baths (there are no birthing pools at MMH)
- 5 assessment rooms
- 4 multi-purpose flexi-rooms, used for assessment, induction, or other procedures
Following birth, early discharge home or to one of the primary birthing units is an option in the absence of complications.
Maternity Ward
Located on the 4th Floor of the Galbraith Building (see directions above). A 45-bed ward for high risk antenatal/postnatal women requiring inpatient care, low risk postnatal inpatient services for women who live locally to Middlemore Hospital and new mothers whose baby has been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Advice with breastfeeding from lactation consultants and experienced staff is also available and BFHI accreditation was achieved in 2011.
