Birthing in the Barkly: births to Barkly women in 2010 (original) (raw)

Rural and remote health

Abstract

A 2007 review of maternity services in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) noted the dissatisfaction of women in the Barkly region where the birthing service closed in 2006. The review recommended improved integration of maternity services, a consumer focus, and a pilot study of birthing in Tennant Creek Hospital (TCH) in the Barkly region. Barkly region is sparsely populated, with 5700 people in 320 000 km2. The town of Tennant Creek with 3100 population is the only centre of more than 1000 people. In the Barkly region, 64% of the population and 74% of birthing women are Aboriginal. Current NT Department of Health (NT DoH) policy requires all women to give birth in a town with facilities for operative delivery. For most Barkly women this means travelling 500 km to Alice Springs with limited support for travel and accommodation. Emergency air evacuation is arranged for all women who enter labour or give birth while in the Barkly region, whether at TCH or elsewhere. This project ...

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