Data from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) shows new mums are generally positive about birthing services at Wagga’s public hospital.
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The “experiences of maternity care in NSW public hospitals” report summarises survey results from 4739 women who had a baby in a NSW public hospital in 2015, 86 of whom were from Wagga.
Almost 90 per cent said antenatal care was good or very good while 91 per cent rated labour and post-birth care positively.
Interestingly, 15 per cent of mothers weren’t born in Australia and eight per cent didn’t speak English at home. The education of the mothers was fairly split: Almost one in five finished Year 12, 26 per cent did not and almost half had a TAFE or university qualification. Five per cent were Indigenous Australians.
The figures come after Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) chief Jill Ludford revealed the hospital’s annual birth rate had jumped from about 800 per year to more than 1000.
MLHD midwifery manager Sandra Forde said it was wonderful to hear positive reports of the service.
“We welcome these independent reports that show what we’re doing well and where there’s room for improvement,” Ms Forde said.
“Our midwives like to provide the best woman-centred service they can.
“This is a very important time in a woman’s life and the care she receives can impact on her ability to parent and on relationships.”
BHI chief executive Jean-Frederic Levesque said most women across the state had very good experiences of maternity care, and almost eight in 10 said they would speak highly about the hospital where they had their baby.
“Women were particularly positive about the care they received during labour and birth with 95 per cent saying it was either very good or good,” Dr Levesque said.
“The birth of a baby is a time when women want to be engaged in their care.
“The report shows that more than two thirds of women felt involved in decisions during labour and birth and about leaving hospital, however 13 per cent said the length of their stay was too short.”
In Wagga, the majority of women said they had confidence and trust in the healthcare professionals providing antenatal care and in the midwives or doctors taking care of them during their labour and birth.