Objective: To describe a midwifery-led model of care in Far North Queensland and the outcomes obtained in its first year of operation.
Design, setting and participants: Prospective analysis of data for all women who were booked for antenatal care with the midwifery-led unit at Mareeba District Hospital (MDH) and who gave birth during its first year of operation, from 27 June 2005 to 30 June 2006.
Main outcome measures: Number of women giving birth at MDH; antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum transfers to a higher-level referral centre (Cairns Base Hospital [CBH]); and labour and delivery outcomes.
Results: Of the 203 women who were booked for antenatal care at MDH and gave birth in the 12-month period, 170 were categorised as low risk and suitable to give birth at MDH. Of these, 147 (86%) did give birth at MDH, while 17 women (10%) had their care transferred antenatally to CBH, and six (4%) were transferred intrapartum. Of the 33 women categorised as high risk, 22 (67%) gave birth at CBH as planned, seven (21%) had elective caesarean sections performed by a general practitioner at MDH, and four (12%) presented to MDH in labour and gave birth there with no complications. Of the 158 women who gave birth at MDH, 146 (92%) had a spontaneous vertex delivery.
Conclusion: Outcomes for the first year of operation of the midwifery-led model of care are consistent with a viable maternity unit, with delivery outcomes and transfer rates that compare favourably with other similar units in Australia.