92722 - Metro North GP Alignment Program Maternity Workshop

The Metro North Maternity GP Alignment Program aims to provide a clinical update for General Practitioners. The context is maternity care with a particular emphasis on current evidence-based best practice, communication channels, obstetric management guidelines and available options for maternity care within Metro North birthing facilities. The program is designed to ensure that maternity shared care is appropriately delivered and that the designation of high and low risk pregnancies is effectively identified.

Analysis of data from the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH) program showed that between April 2010 & March 2015, pregnancy-related problems accounted for 2.71% of all GP-patient encounters in Australia. Pregnancy & routine antenatal care accounted for 89.8% of pregnancy related problems managed by GPs. 
Key Areas: GPs in Australia continue to be high providers of antenatal care. GP Shared care has been shown to reduce public clinic waiting times & improve caregiver continuity. Hypertension is the most common medical problem encountered in pregnancy & is a leading cause of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. In 2012 and 2013 the leading cause of death of women during pregnancy and within 365 days of the end of pregnancy was suicide. Thyroid function changes in pregnancy. Understanding which women require medical review and which are safe to manage in general practice will take pressure off busy clinicians, reduce maternal anxiety and improve outcomes.