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Pregnancy—refugee maternity service

The Refugee Maternity Service is based on a best practice model to support appropriate health care, psycho-social support and resources for women of a refugee background birthing at Mater Mothers’ Hospital.

The Refugee Maternity Service provides:

  • continuity of care as well as continuity of carer
  • female carers within the antenatal period
  • continuity of interpreters
  • care suited to the unique needs of the individuals and their families
  • education of staff to ensure cultural sensitivity for refugee women birthing at Mater Mothers’ Hospitals.

The Refugee Maternity Clinic is staffed by a dedicated multidisciplinary team including obstetricians, midwives, interpreters and a social worker, who will provide continuity of care. This approach will also facilitate the development of social support networks for these women and their families.

Eligibility

Any woman who has experience as a refugee is eligible for care within the Mater Mothers’ Hospital Refugee Maternity Service. This includes permanent residency status as well as current asylum seekers. We also accept women on a spousal visa who are married to a person of refugee experience or who have had refugee experience themselves.

Who can refer

Although any health professional can refer a woman to our service, we prefer that a referral comes from the women’s family doctor through Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ antenatal clinic.

In this way, the family also becomes aware of who their family doctor is and begins their relationship with them.

The woman’s family doctor will be responsible for organising the First Trimester Combined Screen and routine antenatal blood tests, as well as counselling for, and ordering of, the Nuchal Translucency Screening Test.

How to refer

ChildAll referrals to Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ Refugee Maternity Service should be addressed to:

Antenatal Clinic
Mater Mothers’ Hospital
Refugee Maternity Service
Raymond Terrace
South Brisbane Qld 4101
Attention: Refugee Maternity Service Midwife

Alternatively, fax the referral to the Antenatal Clinic via 07 3163 8053 and mark attention to Maternity Service Midwife.

Please include information regarding the refugee background and language/interpreter needs of the woman being referred.

Urgent referrals

In the case of an urgent referral, or a late booking, please telephone Mater Mothers’ Hospitals’ antenatal clinic via 07 3163 8330 and ask to speak to the Refugee Maternity Service Midwife or the GP Liaison Midwife regarding your concerns.

Complex pregnancies

Refugee women with complex health needs during pregnancy will have care from an obstetrician, who will work in collaboration with their midwife.

Antenatal care will be provided in the same format as the current schedule of visits, sharing care with the obstetrician for higher risk pregnancies.

If necessary women can be assessed by the Refugee Social Worker to identify needs and provide appropriate assistance. These women will continue to be reviewed and supported throughout their pregnancy.

Contact details

Antenatal Clinic

Phone: 07 3163 8330
Fax: 07 3163 8053

Refugee Maternity Service

Midwife phone: 0434 189 102
Social worker phone: 07 3163 8111 pager: 4267

GP Liaison Midwife

Phone: 07 3163 1861
 

The Refugee Maternity Service is generously supported by the Sisters of Mercy.

© 2013 Mater Misericordiae Ltd. ACN 096 708 922.

Mater acknowledges consumer consultation in the development of this patient information.
Mater Doc Num: PI-CLN-430007
Last modified 08/8/2017.
Consumers were consulted in the development of this patient information.
Last consumer engagement date: 28/2/2014
For further translated health information, you can visit healthtranslations.vic.gov.au/ supported by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services that offers a range of patient information in multiple languages.
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