Maternity services in remote Northern Territory

If you live in remote Northern Territory, you will get pregnancy care at your nearest community care centre. This continues until you are 37-38 weeks pregnant.

Visit NT.gov.au to find a community health centre near you.

Your pregnancy care is given by:

• midwives
• nurses
• doctors
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers

You may need to go to hospital for ultrasounds:

• in your first trimester
• at 18-20 weeks
• in your third trimester of pregnancy

Your community care centre will arrange your travel and accommodation before you go.

Once you're 37-38 weeks pregnant, you will be advised to travel close to a hospital for the birth of your baby.

You will have the choice of going to one of these public hospitals:

• Alice Springs Hospital
• Gove District Hospital
• Katherine Hospital
• Royal Darwin Hospital

You will get care from the hospital midwives. Doctors are also on hand if you or your baby needs them. The costs of care in a public hospital are usually covered by Medicare.

Your local community clinic will arrange your transport and accommodation.

Different hospitals have different services. Some have birth centres — these are suitable if you have a complication free pregnancy.

Private health insurance can help you cover some of the costs of private care.

You can have a home birth if you live in Alice Springs or Darwin and have an uncomplicated pregnancy. Learn more about home birth services in those centres.

Learn about choosing where to give birth.

Birthing on Country in the Northern Territory

Birthing on Country is about giving Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander babies the best start in life. It includes supporting you in your transition to parenting through culturally appropriate care.

Ask your Aboriginal health worker or midwife about programs in your area.

Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) near you.

Strong women, strong babies, strong culture program

You can access the Strong women, strong babies, strong culture program if you are pregnant and from:

• Canteen Creek
• Utopia
• Yuendumu

The program supports traditional ways of teaching women about healthy choices in pregnancy and early parenting.

Caring for Mum on Country

The Caring for Mum on Country project has been working with women in northeast Arnhem Land.

They want to have childbirth services in their community.

They aim to do this by providing evidence‐based Western maternity care and cultural caring practices. This will be done by a workforce of skilled Yolŋu djäkamirr — the cultural caretakers of pregnancy and birth.

You might be able to claim back some of your travel and accommodation costs from the Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (PATS).

Find health services near you in remote Northern Territory

Find out more about parenting in regional and remote areas.

If you are unhappy about the care you get, you may want to learn about making a healthcare complaint.