New day clinic to aid pregnant women

FILE

A new day assessment unit at Rotorua Hospital will allow closer monitoring of pregnant women who need extra clinical support, without the need to admit them to hospital.

The new unit opened last month, after more than two years in the planning stages.

Lakes District Health Board assistant communications officer Shan Tapsell said the new Maternity Day Assessment Unit would allow close monitoring of pregnant women who needed extra clinical support, without having to admit them to hospital.

"Pregnant women and mothers up to six weeks after giving birth can be referred by their usual midwife or lead maternity carer [LMC] to the unit after consultation with the on-call obstetric consultant or registrar."

She said an on-going care plan could then be worked out with the woman, her LMC and the obstetrics team.

"As well as closely monitoring pregnant women and their babies, the day assessment unit will provide information to educate women so they can monitor their own health and well-being. Other education around keeping women and babies well will include smoking, breastfeeding and shaken baby information."

She said women were seen one at a time in an outpatient clinic setting at the hospital's antenatal clinic. Women can make appointments, although acute referrals would take precedence.

Reasons women may need to be seen included high blood pressure, which needed close monitoring both before and after the baby was born, extra monitoring if a woman had a previous stillbirth, or monitoring for babies who were not growing as expected or issues like an increased risk of pre-eclampsia.

"The woman has the reassurance of having the close monitoring for her pregnancy, but is able to return home to her family and the comforts of home."

The health board expects five to six people a day will use the service, which will be open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

An additional midwife has been employed to staff the unit.