New clinic supports pregnant women with additional needs
A specialised maternity support clinic is providing gold-standard maternity care for pregnant women with a continuity of midwifery care model at Rockingham General Hospital (RGH).
The Support Women with Additional Needs (SWAN) clinic gives maternity patients with social or mental health concerns, longer appointments and continuous care with the same midwife throughout their pregnancy.
Run weekly out of the new Women's Outpatient Centre, the SWAN clinic allows patients more time to discuss their concerns with their known midwife who can link them in with other services such as social work or psychiatric services to ensure best possible outcomes for their pregnancy.
Clinic coordinator Zoe Biggs believes the clinic is vital to ensuring hospital maternity patients have access appropriate services and the extra care they need to be empowered for all aspects of motherhood.
“This clinic is important as it allows women the time to explore their additional needs,” said Zoe.
“Continuity of care with a known midwife is also imperative for this cohort and proven to have better outcomes for the women, their babies and their families.”
RkPG Executive Director Kath Smith mirrored the sentiment of the importance of continuity of care and believes the clinic, named after the black swan which means ‘signifies an insight about yourself which changes your position from one of victim to victor. It is a graceful reminder to move from any position where you feel powerless and at the mercy of external forces; it is time to reclaim your personal power,’ is vital for RGH patients.
"Keeping care consistent is really important for these women because they often have complicated concern or issues they are dealing with,” said Kath.
“We know that having one main person to talk to helps them feel more supported and comfortable through their pregnancy".
