• Personalised service
• Ongoing care with your GP who will continue to look after you and your family before and after baby is born
• More flexible appointment times, that is, after hours and weekends
• Waiting times are generally shorter than hospital clinics

It is recommended that several months before you are planning to become pregnant you see your GP to discuss issues such as rubella immunity, folic acid intake and your options for antenatal care.  If you are already pregnant see your GP as soon as possible.

You will have some of your pregnancy care with  your GP and some with the midwives or doctors at the hospital.

You would give birth to your baby in the hospital birthing unit, a midwife will look after you during your labour and birth.  Your GP may come and visit you while you are in hospital but will not deliver the baby.

You usually spend 2-4 hours in the birthing unit before being transferred up to the postnatal ward.  Some women who have had an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth may go home four hours after the birth with midwifery support.

If you choose to go home early, a midwife will visit you in  your home until baby is 5-7 days old, your GP may also visit if required.

If you require emergency medical help and you are less than 20 weeks pregnant please contact the Prince of Wales Emergency (casualty) department.  If it is a non-urgent problem contact your GP (some GPs provide an after hours service) who will assess your condition and may refer you to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Service (EPAS) at the hospital the following day.

If you are over 20 weeks pregnant contact the birthing unit on 9382 6100.

At the Royal Hospital for Women there is a midwife to assist women that choose to participate in the Antenatal Shared Care Program who can be contacted on 9382 6016 and can assist you with the following :

• Answer any concerns/questions you may have about the program
• See you for check ups if your GP is going to be away
• Explain and arrange various services at the hospital
• Provide you with information on pregnancy, birth and after the baby is born

The midwife is a resource person in the hospital for you to contact at any time.

You may not be able to choose this option of care if you have significant medical and/or other history, or develop complications throughout your pregnancy, or your GP is not affiliated with the Royal Hospital for Women Antenatal Shared Care Program. 

If you would like to be seen by the NVP and HG service, please see your GP for a referral. The NVP and HG service will also accept referrals from private obstetricians and ED departments. Please call prior to attending to book in an appointment time. If you are unsure about how to access the service or have a question about the referral process, please call and discuss your query with a midwife.

The NVP and HG service is run by a team of midwives that will oversee your care. You will also be seen by an Obstetrician regularly and if required will be reviewed by an Obstetric physician. This may be in the clinic or in the Outpatients department.  

The NVP and HG service is situated in the Pregnancy Day Stay unit at the Royal Hospital for Women. This is an outpatient clinic that treats women for a number of pregnancy related conditions. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be able to have your care provided at home with the Hospital in the Home team. Please speak to your midwife or doctor if you would be interested in this option.

You may be offered medication for nausea, vomiting, reflux and constipation. Some of these medications maybe given orally or by a cannula. You may also be offered the administration of intravenous (IV) fluids to help resolve your symptoms. Midwifes and doctors will review your medications regularly to ensure they are working well for you.

• Often woman experiencing NVP or HG can feel low in mood and struggle with their mental health.  As part of your care the NVP and HG service will support your emotional needs by providing support from our midwives, social workers, and perinatal mental health teams. 

• Women accessing the NVP and HG service may also be offered ComPacks. These a non-clinical community support packages to help you at home and include activities such as transport to and from appointments, delivery of food shops, meal prep and domestic help (e.g. cleaning). For more information, ask your midwife or see the ComPacks flyer here. 

• MotherSafe

  MotherSafe is a free telephone service for the women of NSW, based at the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick. MotherSafe provide information to families and Health Care Providers about safe and effective treatments for Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy and Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Call 02 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area) or 1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area).

• Continuity of care with your named midwife before and after baby is born.
• Mobile phone contact for NON-URGENT e.g. appointment changes, informing you have had a blood test/ultrasound.
• Location may be more convenient e.g. hospital antenatal clinic.

It is recommended that several months before you are planning to become pregnant you see your GP to discuss optimising your health and other issues such as rubella immunity, folic acid intake. At this time it is good to research different options for your maternity care.

If you are already pregnant see your GP as soon as possible.

You will have your pregnancy care with your known midwife (and doctors if needed) at the hospital.

You would give birth to your baby in the hospital birth unit. A birth unit midwife will look after you during your labour and birth. If for any reason during your labour you need a doctor they are always available.

You usually spend 2-4 hours in the birth unit before being transferred up to the postnatal ward.  Some women who have had an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth may go home 4 hours after the birth with MAPS midwifery support.

When you go home, the MAPS midwife will visit you in your home until baby is about 10-14 days old.

If you require emergency medical help and you are less than 20 weeks pregnant please attend or contact the Prince of Wales Emergency department.  If it is a non-urgent problem contact your GP (some GPs provide an afterhours service) who will assess your condition and may refer you to the Early Pregnancy Assessment Service (EPAS) at the hospital the following day.

For any labour related issues and URGENT concerns over 20 weeks contact the birthing unit triage on 0439 869 035 24 hours a day.

You can call your midwife between 8:00am and 4:30pm (some may only work certain days, so if you urgently need an answer please call triage underlined above). Otherwise the midwives will assist you as soon as they can with:

• Answering any concerns/questions you may have about the program.
• Explaining various services at the hospital.
• Providing you with information on pregnancy, birth and after the baby is born.

Despite The Royal Hospital for Women providing a large number of MAPS midwives and teams occasionally there may be limited availability. If you live outside of the hospital area we are not be able to provide postnatal visits in the home.