Have the 2010 national maternity reforms delivered choice, control and continuity to Australian women?

摘要

In 2009-2010 Maternity Coalition (MC) worked really hard representing Australian women while the Commonwealth established major reforms in maternity care funding. This guest editorial asks the question; why, three years later, do so few Australian women have access to Medicare-funded midwifery? In this editorial I first review the history of the 2009-2010 Commonwealth maternity reforms, before examining the barriers to women's access to care from eligible midwives in private practice. I discuss the nursing and medical cultural forces that inhibit private midwifery practice, obstructing women's choice, control and continuity in birth care. In Queensland leadership from consumers, midwives, the Chief Nurse's office and the Health Minister encourages public maternity units to grant visiting rights to eligible midwives. Finally, I discuss some political forces for and against maternity reform and call on midwives and consumers to take action now to influence the political process at the local, state and national levels.