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My experience with the health system in Kalgoorlie

Posted By Halloween95

"My experience with the health system in Kalgoorlie"

About: Kalgoorlie Health Campus / Maternity Ward

(as the patient),

I want to share my frustration with how the health system here in Kalgoorlie still seemingly relies so heavily on the BMI (Body Mass Index) to judge health. I understand that BMI is such an outdated and inaccurate system.

Before I got pregnant, I was a size 12, active, healthy, and feeling good in my body, yet I was still labelled “obese.” Now that I’m pregnant, it’s even worse. The BMI doesn’t take into account muscle mass, bone density, body composition, or individual health markers.

Because of this number, I’ve been told I might have to give birth in Perth rather than Kalgoorlie, even though my entire pregnancy has been perfectly healthy. That feels incredibly unfair. I believe that health professionals should be looking at the whole person, not just a number on a chart.

It’s 2025, I believe we have so much more knowledge now about body diversity and health. I think the BMI system is outdated and should no longer be the deciding factor in people’s care. In my opinion, you can see when someone is unhealthy, and it’s not always about weight.

I think that it’s time for our health system to evolve beyond the BMI and treat people as individuals, not statistics.

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Responses

Response from Hamish Burton, A/Director Kalgoorlie Health Campus, Kalgoorlie Health Campus, WA Country Health Service last month
Hamish Burton
A/Director Kalgoorlie Health Campus, Kalgoorlie Health Campus,
WA Country Health Service

Submitted on 3/11/2025 at 6:19 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia on 4/11/2025 at 9:55 AM

Dear Halloween95,

Thank you for sharing your experience and reflections about the use of BMI in maternity care. We really appreciate you taking the time to express how this has felt for you — particularly during pregnancy, when feeling seen and supported is so important.

You’re right that BMI alone doesn’t capture the full picture of health. Current national and state clinical guidelines still use BMI as one of several screening tools to help identify potential pregnancy, labour and postnatal risks. These guidelines, developed by the Australian Government and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), are applied across all health services to support consistent, safe care.

In Western Australia, the WA Country Health Service and King Edward Memorial Hospital guidelines include recommendations for where birth is safest to occur, depending on risk factors such as BMI and the resources available at each hospital. These decisions are guided by safety considerations rather than size, but we understand that this can still feel personal and upsetting.

Your feedback about wanting care that recognises the whole person — not just a number — is important. We’re committed to providing respectful, person-centred maternity care and will continue to reflect on how we communicate about these topics with sensitivity.

If you’d like to discuss your experience further, our Clinical Governance team can be contacted at GSEGCG@health.wa.gov.au, and they can help arrange a follow-up conversation.

Thank you again for helping us learn from your experience.

Warm regards,
Hamish Burton
A/Director, Kalgoorlie Health Campus

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