Types of pregnancy care
There are several types or models of pregnancy care available for women at Barwon Health. At your first Pregnancy Care Clinic appointment, a midwife will assess your situation and discuss with you the type of care that best supports your needs.
The different types of care include:
Shared Care with your GP or midwife
With your care, most of your care will be provided by a credentialed GP or midwife. You may be referred back to the hospital for more specialised care if required. With GP shared care, you will see a midwife later in your pregnancy as part of the ‘sharing of care’. You don’t require this appointment if you do shared care with a credentialed shared care midwife. Please ask your GP or shared care midwife if they participate in the shared care program with Barwon Health.
Midwives Clinic
Pregnancy care is available with midwives at clinics at University Hospital Geelong, Newcomb and Belmont Community Health Centres, Barwon Health North and at Sydney Parade, Geelong. You may have appointments with several different midwives over the course of your pregnancy.
Midwifery Group Practice
Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) means a midwife and a ‘buddy’ midwife will care for you throughout your pregnancy, labour birth and in the early parenting period.
Young Approach to Pregnancy Program
This program is suitable for women aged under 20 years. A midwife and doctor work together to provide your pregnancy and birth care as well as individual parenting sessions. A social worker is also available for support and information.
Chemical Dependency Unit
A small team of doctors, a midwife and social workers care for women with drug and alcohol issues.
Wathaurong Koori Maternity Service
If you or you baby identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, a midwife and Aboriginal health worker at Wathaurong Aboriginal Health Service can provide culturally appropriate pregnancy care, birth support and postnatal support for six weeks after the birth of your baby.
Specialist Clinics
No matter which model of care you choose, specialist pregnancy care is available if you need it. For example, this may be necessary if you are having twins, or have diabetes.
Deakin Continuity of Care Experience
Would you like to contribute to the development of a midwifery student while being offered extra support during your pregnancy?
A Continuity of Care Experience is a teaching/learning strategy where a midwifery student follows a woman through her pregnancy, labour and birth and the time after birth in a partnership approach. Midwifery students are required to undertake these experiences as a formal requirement of midwifery education in Australia. Following a woman throughout her pregnancy, birth and postnatal experience gives the student the opportunity to experience continuity of care. If you choose to participate in this partnership, you will continue to receive your usual care from doctors and midwives during this time.
Last Modified: Thursday, 07 April 2022