Health professionals involved in your pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you might see a lot of different healthcare professionals. Such as:

• your doctor
• a midwife
• an obstetrician
• other health professionals (Opens in new tab)
• non-medical support people such as a doula

The health professionals you choose may depend on the way you receive your pregnancy care. This is called the model of care.

It's important to remember that all decisions about your pregnancy care are your choice. This includes what model of care suits you best, and which healthcare professionals you see.

You have the right to respectful maternity care that:

• is culturally safe
• enables you to make informed choices about your pregnancy care
• supports your decision making

Your doctor

Your doctor or general practitioner (GP) is trained in many different aspects of healthcare.

During pregnancy, your doctor can:

• find out or confirm that you are pregnant
• talk with you about the type of care you want during your pregnancy
• monitor other parts of your health during pregnancy

If your doctor is your main antenatal care provider, they should have extra qualifications. These doctors are known as GP obstetricians.

Your doctor will often have a 'shared care' arrangement with a midwife or an obstetrician at a hospital.

Especially in rural areas, your doctor can care for you right through your pregnancy and birth with shared care from a midwife.

Midwives

A midwife is a person who:

• has completed a midwife education program based on a framework from the International Confederation of Midwives (Opens in new tab)
• is qualified to legally practice midwifery
• has the ability to provide midwife care

Midwives are healthcare professionals who support you through your:

• pregnancy
• labour
• birth
• after the birth (postnatal period)

They can:

• provide you with advice and counselling
• run antenatal classes
• monitor you and your baby for pregnancy complications
• provide care for your newborn baby
• help you access care, including emergency care if needed

Midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (Opens in new tab) to practise in Australia. They can be qualified registered nurses as well. Midwives can work in:

• your home
• the community
• clinics
• hospitals

There are different models of midwife care.

Midwife continuity of care is when you have one midwife throughout your pregnancy. Evidence shows that this is the best option for maternity care. This can help you to build a strong relationship with your midwife and have a positive pregnancy experience.

Midwifery caseload practice is a model that includes continuity of care. It is when your care is led by a primary midwife who is supported by secondary midwives.

Team midwifery is when your care is provided by a small group of midwives. It's mainly for pregnancies that are likely to be straightforward. You are less likely to see the same midwife at each visit. However, you can develop a relationship each of the midwives you see from the team.

You can also choose to receive continuity of care from a privately practicing midwife.

In other midwife care models, you might not always see the same midwife during your pregnancy. The care available depends on what your local health service can offer. If you choose to have your baby at a public hospital, your care will include seeing a midwife at your clinic visits.

If you want to give birth at home, it will usually be with a private midwife. Some public hospitals offer publicly funded homebirth programs if you have a low-risk pregnancy.

Obstetricians

Obstetricians are doctors with specialised training in obstetrics. They are trained on how to manage higher risk pregnancies and possible complications before, during and after birth. They can also do caesarean sections. Most hospital maternity units will include an obstetrician.

You may choose to see a private obstetrician during your pregnancy and birth. If you want to give birth at a certain hospital, check which private obstetricians practise at that hospital.

Anaesthetists

An anaesthetist is a doctor who gives pain relief and cares for you during surgery. They may be involved in your labour if you have an epidural or a caesarean.

Other health professionals

You may see other health professionals during your pregnancy. This will depend on:

• the care you need
• your medical history
• your preferences for your care

Other health professionals that you may see are:

• an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker — for culturally safe care and support.
• a dietitian (Opens in new tab) — for nutrition advice, such as if you have gestational diabetes.
• a genetic counsellor — to find out more about genetic conditions.
• a pregnancy physiotherapist — to help reduce pain and improve movement.
• a psychologist (Opens in new tab) — for mental health support.
• a social worker (Opens in new tab) — for information and links to other support services.
• a sonographer — a medical imaging specialist who does ultrasound scans.

Non-medical support

You may choose to hire a doula. During pregnancy and birth, a doula can give you:

• information
• emotional support
• practical support

They may also help in the weeks after your baby is born. They complement the work of the healthcare professionals caring for you. Doulas do not provide medical care.

Many women chose to have family and friends to support them when giving birth.

All decisions made about your care during pregnancy are your choice. This includes the healthcare professionals that you see.

It's best to have as much information as possible when choosing a health professional.

You can:

• speak with your friends and other parents about their birth experiences
• ask your doctor or midwife about the choices you have locally
• check if the healthcare provider is registered at Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (Opens in new tab)
• ask the health professional any questions that you may have

Your choices may be influenced by different things. It is important to think about:

• what care you need
• what matters most to you in your care
• where you live and what services are available in your community
• if you want to give birth at home, in a birth centre, or in hospital
• if you prefer to see the same health professional at each visit
• if you want care that is midwife-led, shared with your usual doctor, or obstetrician-led
• whether you choose to use public or private healthcare

Medicare covers most of the costs of a public hospital birth.

If you are considering private healthcare, make sure you understand the out-of-pocket costs.

It's important to have a positive, trusting relationship with your healthcare provider. It's also okay to change your mind and find the care that's right for you. You change your healthcare professionals at any time.

Try using Pregnancy, Birth and Baby's service finder tool to find your nearest doctor, midwife, obstetrician and maternal child health nurse.

You can visit the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists website (Opens in new tab) for information (Opens in new tab) about pregnancy. You can also find a women's health doctor (Opens in new tab) near you.

You can read more about midwives (Opens in new tab) through the Australian College of Midwives (Opens in new tab).