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Home birth with the Community Midwifery Program

Posted By woodpigeonre66

"Home birth with the Community Midwifery Program"

About: King Edward Memorial Hospital / Community Midwifery Program

(as a service user),

The Community Midwifery Program is amazing. I recently had a home birth supported by the East Team and cannot sing their praises enough! I wish all women had access to continuity of care no matter what risk profile they have, and the option to home birth if they wanted. The care I received this pregnancy compared to my first where I was in a fragmented care model was exceptional. I was supported in making informed decisions instead of being told it’s time to go do this test now. I felt cared for and valued throughout my care. Please continue to support and expand this program.

Feedback:

I had Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes (PROM) at term for both of my labours. This time I birthed in 17 hours but my first labour was much longer. I’m frustrated that the policy is to have antibiotics at 18 hours to stay at home if not in labour. The Cochrane Review titled ‘Antibiotics for prelabour rupture of membranes at or near term’ states in the conclusion that there is, “no convincing evidence of benefit for mothers or neonates from the routine use of antibiotics for PROM at or near term”. The review recommends that the routine use of antibiotics in the absence of a confirmed infection should be avoided. Why is it that women need to change birth location for declining an intervention that has no evidence I can see to support it? Can this policy please be reviewed?

More about:
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Responses

Response from Melinda Olive, A/Director, Safety Quality & Performance, Safety, Quality & Performance, Women and Newborn Health Service 6 days ago
Melinda Olive
A/Director, Safety Quality & Performance, Safety, Quality & Performance,
Women and Newborn Health Service

Submitted on 23/04/2026 at 1:54 PM
Published on Care Opinion Australia at 5:21 PM

picture of Melinda Olive

Dear, woodpigeonre66,

Congratulations on the birth of your baby and thank you for taking the time to share your positive story and provide feedback surrounding current policies.

I was so pleased to read of the positive experience you had with the Community Midwifery Program (CMP). We are very proud of the CMP team and the continuous high level of care they provide to our patients. It was wonderful to hear that you found the continuity of care model so beneficial. Here at the Women and Newborn Health Service we currently do have other continuity of care models available for women with different risk factors and birth preference such as Family Birth Centre, Midwifery Group Practice and Midwifery Antenatal and Postnatal Service and I would like to recognise how beneficial these care models are, however, would like to acknowledge that unfortunately they are not always possible for all patients.

Thank you for sharing your feedback surrounding our current policies relating to Pre-labour Rupture of Membranes (PROM). We are always reviewing our polices to ensure they are reflective of the most up-to-date evidence-based practice. I can confirm this policy is currently under review and in the process of being updated. I will forward your story onto the staff involved in this update so they can take your feedback onboard.

Thank you again for reaching out and I wish you and your family all the best.

Kind regards,

Melinda

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