If you plan to give birth at public hospital, you can choose the type of care that best suits the needs of you and your family.

The choices of care sometimes vary between public hospitals.

Read about the options at public maternity hospitals in the Metro South Health area:

Mater Mothers’ (Public) Hospital

The Mater Mothers’ Hospital is operated by Mater Health. Their website contains information on options for maternity care.

You must reside within the catchment boundaries to be eligible for care at Mater Mothers’ Hospital (unless there are specific risks identified in your pregnancy or you are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander).

Logan Hospital

We offer the following choices for your maternity care:

• GP shared care
• Hospital midwifery care
• Private midwifery care
• Specialist obstetric care
• Community Maternity and Child Health Hubs (for eligible women)

GP shared care

In GP shared care, your usual doctor (also known as your GP – general practitioner) provides most of your care during your pregnancy.

Shared care is a popular choice for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy. You have most of your appointments close to your home or work, and you get to build a relationship with your doctor that continues after your baby is born.

In GP shared care:

• most of your appointments will be at your GP’s office
• you will attend 3-4 appointments at Logan Hospital
• your baby will be born at Logan Hospital.

Hospital midwifery care

In this model, you will receive your care during pregnancy and birth from a team of midwives based at Logan Hospital. You may see different midwives at each appointment.

A midwife is a health professional who is highly trained in providing care, education and advice to support you during pregnancy and beyond.

Hospital midwifery care is available for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy.

In hospital midwifery care:

• most of your appointments will be at Logan Hospital’s antenatal clinic
• your baby will be born at Logan Hospital.

Private midwifery care

You can choose to be cared for private midwife or private midwifery team. This means you can choose your own midwife and they will care for your during your pregnancy and birth.

Your private midwife must have “admitting rights” to Logan Hospital.

It is your responsibility to cover the cost of private midwifery care.

In private midwifery care:

• most of your appointments will be in the community (at your private midwife’s place of work)
• you will attend 1-2 appointments at Logan Hospital
• your baby will be born at Logan Hospital with your private midwife present at the birth.

Specialist obstetric care

You may need specialist obstetric care if you have a pre-existing health condition or if you develop problems during your pregnancy.

Obstetric care is led by an obstetrician. An obstetrician is a doctor with specialist qualifications in delivering babies and providing medical care to women during pregnancy and birth.

Your care will be supported by midwives and other health professionals.

Maternity and Child Health Hubs/Midwifery Group Practice

Our Maternity and Child Health Hubs are specially designed for local women who are:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• Maori or Pasifika
• culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) or non-English speaking women, including refugees
• under the age of 18.

If you are from one of these groups, you can also choose one of the other care options listed above, depending on you and your family’s preferences.

Sometimes women with complex needs may also access the Maternity and Child Health Hubs.

You will be cared for by the same group of midwives throughout the pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards at home.

This gives you the opportunity to get to know your midwife and develop a partnership that continues after your baby is born.

In this model:

• most of your appointments will be at a community hub (see locations)
• you will attend 3-4 appointments at the hospital with your usual midwife present
• your baby will be born at Logan Hospital.

Beaudesert Hospital

We offer the following choices for your maternity care:

• GP shared care
• Midwifery Group Practice
• Hospital midwifery care

GP shared care

In GP shared care, your usual doctor (also known as your GP – general practitioner) provides most of your care during your pregnancy.

Shared care is a popular choice for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy. You have most of your appointments close to your home or work, and you get to build a relationship with your doctor that continues after your baby is born.

In GP shared care:

• most of your appointments will be at your GP’s office
• you will attend 3-4 appointments at Beaudesert Hospital
• your baby will be born at Beaudesert Hospital.

Midwifery Group Practice

In this model, you will be cared for by the same group of midwives throughout your pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards at home.

This gives you the opportunity to get to know your midwife and develop a partnership that continues after your baby is born.

A midwife is a health professional who is highly trained in providing care, education and advice to support you during pregnancy and beyond.

In the Midwifery Group Practice model:

• your appointments will be with the same midwife, at your choice of location:
  • your home
  • Beaudesert Hospital
  • in a community space such as Yarrabilba etc.
• your baby will be born at Beaudesert Hospital
• your midwife will visit you at home after the birth.

If there are complications, you may need to birth at Logan Hospital. If this happens, your allocated midwife will continue to care for you before, during and after the birth.

The Midwifery Group Practice is available for women living in the Beaudesert area.

Hospital midwifery / rural generalist care

In this model, you will receive your care during pregnancy and birth from a team of midwives and rural generalist obstetricians (doctors) based at Beaudesert Hospital. You may see different midwives or doctors at each appointment.

A midwife is a health professional who is highly trained in providing care, education and advice to support you during pregnancy and beyond. A rural generalist obstetrician is a doctor who can provide medical care to women during pregnancy and birth.

Hospital midwifery / rural generalist care is available for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy.

In hospital midwifery / rural generalist care:

• most of your appointments will be at Beaudesert Hospital
• your baby will be born at Beaudesert Hospital
• a midwife will visit you at home after the birth.

If there are complications, you may need to birth at Logan Hospital. If this happens, we will try to ensure that as many of your appointments as possible are provided locally at Beaudesert Hospital.

Redland Hospital

We offer the following choices for your maternity care:

• GP shared care
• Hospital midwifery care
• Private midwifery care
• Specialist obstetric care
• Midwifery Group Practice

GP shared care

In GP shared care, your usual doctor (also known as your GP – general practitioner) provides most of your care during your pregnancy.

Shared care is a popular choice for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy. You have most of your appointments close to your home or work, and you get to build a relationship with your doctor that continues after your baby is born.

In GP shared care:

• most of your appointments will be at your GP’s office
• you will attend 3-4 appointments at Redland Hospital
• your baby will be born at Redland Hospital.

Hospital midwifery care

In this model, you will receive your care during pregnancy and birth from a team of midwives based at Redland Hospital. You may see different midwives at each appointment.

A midwife is a health professional who is highly trained in providing care, education and advice to support you during pregnancy and beyond.

Hospital midwifery care is available for women who are healthy with a normal pregnancy.

In hospital midwifery care:

• most of your appointments will be at Redland Hospital’s antenatal clinic
• your baby will be born at Redland Hospital.

Private midwifery care

You can choose to be cared for private midwife or private midwifery team. This means you can choose your own midwife and they will care for your during your pregnancy and birth.

Your private midwife must have “admitting rights” to Redland Hospital.

It is your responsibility to cover the cost of private midwifery care.

In private midwifery care:

• most of your appointments will be in the community (at your private midwife’s place of work)
• you will attend 3-4 appointments at Redland Hospital
• your baby will be born at Redland Hospital with your private midwife present at the birth.

Specialist obstetric care

You may need specialist obstetric care if you have a pre-existing health condition or if you develop problems during your pregnancy.

Obstetric care is led by an obstetrician. An obstetrician is a doctor with specialist qualifications in delivering babies and providing medical care to women during pregnancy and birth.

Your care will be supported by midwives and other health professionals.

Midwifery Group Practice

Our Midwifery Group Practice is specially designed for local women who are:

• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
• culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) or non-English speaking women, including refugees
• under the age of 18
• residents of North Stradbroke Island or one of the Southern Moreton Bay islands.

If you are from one of these groups, you can also choose one of the other care options listed above, depending on you and your family’s preferences.

Sometimes women with complex needs may also access the Midwifery Group Practice.

You will be cared for by the same group of midwives throughout the pregnancy, labour, birth and afterwards at home.

This gives you the opportunity to get to know your midwife and develop a partnership that continues after your baby is born.

In this model:

• most of your appointments will be at Redland Hospital with your usual midwife
• your baby will be born at Redland Hospital.

When your GP confirms your pregnancy, they will send a referral to the hospital, and you will receive a time for your first appointment. At the first appointment you can discuss your preferred option for maternity care. Please continue to see your GP while you are waiting for your first appointment.

At all times during your pregnancy and birth you will have access to hospital midwives, obstetricians and other specialists if required.