The Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service: a decade of achievement in the health of women and babies in NSW
Elisabeth Murphy A B and Elizabeth Best AA Maternity, Children and Young People's Health Branch, NSW Ministry of Health
B Corresponding author. Email: lmurp@doh.health.nsw.gov.au
NSW Public Health Bulletin 23(4) 68-72 https://doi.org/10.1071/NB11051
Published: 13 June 2012
Abstract
The Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service was established to improve the health of Aboriginal women during pregnancy and decrease perinatal morbidity and mortality for Aboriginal babies. The Service is delivered through a continuity-of-care model, where midwives and Aboriginal Health Workers collaborate to provide a high quality maternity service that is culturally sensitive, women centred, based on primary health-care principles and provided in partnership with Aboriginal people. An evaluation of the Service found that the program is achieving its goals in relation to the provision of antenatal and postnatal care and has demonstrated improvements in perinatal morbidity and mortality rates.
References
[1] Centre for Epidemiology and Research. New South Wales Mothers and Babies 2009. Sydney: NSW Ministry of Health, 2011. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2011/pdf/mothers_babies_2009.pdf (Cited 8 October 2011).[2] Health NSW. The NSW Aboriginal perinatal health report. Sydney: NSW Department of Health; 2003. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2003/pdf/abl_peri.pdf (Cited 8 October 2011).
[3] Laws P, Li Z, Sullivan EA. Australia's mothers and babies 2008. Perinatal statistics series no. 24. Cat. no. PER 50. Canberra: AIHW.
[4] Health NSW. Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Strategy. Evaluation. Final report 2005. Available at: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2006/pdf/evaluation_maternal.pdf (Cited 8 October 2011).
