A Queensland Health maternity trial focused on giving women more power during pregnancy and labour, will wrap up at Mount Isa Hospital this month.
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North West Hospital and Health Service was one of seven hospitals who partnered with Women Who Decline Recommended Maternity Care in a eight-month trial which concludes at the end of September.
NWHHS Acting Manager of Midwifery Group Practice Kerry Owens said the trial provided guidelines to help clinicians work better with women who declined recommended care during pregnancy and labour.
Ms Owens said every woman was different and had the right to decline recommended care.
"Women could decline anything, from routine suggested testing like Glucose intolerance test, 12-week scan, induction of labour, C-section or preferring to go to full-term," Ms Owens said.
"The reasoning behind it could be because of cultural reasons, religious reasons, past experiences or childbirth experiences; but the trial guidelines help us discuss alternate care options while the the woman continues to feel safe and supported."
Ms Owens said these guidelines would assist in clinicians' communication, providing advice on care choices along with their benefits and risks.
"Clinicians work with women to provide holistic, supportive care while being respectful, keeping women safe and building a trusting relationship with them," she said.
"We are putting women at the centre of their care and respecting their choices."
Ms Owens said the need for the trial had come from consumer advisory groups across Queensland talking about safe maternity care.
"Mount Isa was selected from our previous Executive Director of Medical Services, who has seen a presentation on the trial and nominated us for it," she said.
"The information from the trial will go to the Clinical Excellence Division to review and discuss findings with clinicians and patients, before potentially being rolled out across the state."
Other hospitals hosting the trial include Royal Brisbane and Women's, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Emerald and Thursday Island.
This is not the first Queensland Government trial conducted in Mount Isa, after the Rural Maternity Taskforce reported on maternity services in rural and remote Queensland. The Taskforce brought about change for the Queensland Health Service advocating more training for bush midwives, collaborative care for expecting mums and ministerial approval for heath service changes.
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