News

New maternity support for Koori women

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 07:36:00

A new female doctor has been recruited to improve maternity care for Koori women in Mildura.

Local GP Doctor Jane Neyland is completing her obstetrics diploma, and will provide services through the Mallee District Aboriginal Services Mildura clinic.
The manager of the MDAS Early Years program, Danielle Dougherty, said it was an important step towards lifting the rate of Koori women receiving appropriate pregnancy care.
“There are about 110 Aboriginal babies born a year in Mildura and we’ve been concerned that for a significant number of those, the care during pregnancy is inadequate or non-existent,” Mr Dougherty said.
“A large number of Koori women don’t come under the care of an obstetrician when they should during their pregnancies and it’s often because they feel intimidated going to mainstream services.”
Mrs Dougherty said MDAS has a midwife and an Aboriginal Maternal Health Worker to care for women experiencing a low-risk pregnancy.
“However most Aboriginal women fall into the high-risk pregnancy category, so in the past most have had to be referred to obstetricians elsewhere,” she said.
Mrs Dougherty said Koori women often began their ante-natal care later in their pregnancy.
“Across the community, about two thirds of all women present for ante-natal care before they are 13 weeks pregnant – in Koori women it’s just over one third who attend an appointment before 13 weeks,” Mrs Dougherty said.
“Care in that first trimester is so important in terms of setting the scene for a healthy pregnancy and good outcomes for mother and baby.”
Ante natal care guidelines suggest women attend for 10 visits during pregnancy, but Mrs Dougherty said Koori women in Mildura attended an average of three.  
“We have had a lot of trouble with getting women to attend appointments with mainstream obstetricians, often simply because they feel intimidated and uncomfortable,” Mrs Dougherty said.
“We now have a new midwife on staff here at MDAS and a visiting GP/obstetrician in training,  who is overseen by Professor Pettigrew. 
“We can provide the complete service here, where the women are coming to a site through their pregnancy that they are already familiar with, and have staff around them they know, and have seen before.”
Mrs Dougherty said Mildura obstetrician Professor Ian Pettigrew had supported MDAS’s efforts to put a better system in place.
“Professor Pettigrew has been a great supporter of our service for a long time but he shares our concern that there are too many high-risk pregnancies not getting the supervision they need,” Mrs Dougherty said.
“His support and input has been really important in getting this new service in place,” she said.
“It’s been through Professor Pettigrew we have been able to find Doctor Neyland and get her on board, so we’re very grateful for his support.”
Dr Jane Neyland is a GP at the Ontario Medical Clinic, and will provide a fortnightly service at the MDAS Mildura Aboriginal Health Service.
“Jane is a young, female doctor, and that’s a great plus – and having her here on-site will make the whole experience less confronting for our clients,” Ms Dougherty said.
“We are so pleased to have her on board, particularly because of her great understanding of the local community and people.
“Jane is a local person, who grew up in Robinvale, and has now returned to practice here, so we consider ourselves really fortunate to have been able to have someone of that calibre.”