The Maternity Service in New Zealand is an integrated system of primary, secondary and tertiary maternity care. The midwifery profession has knowledge, skills and abilities to provide complete maternity care to women on its own responsibility. All midwives are expected to work in partnership with women, providing or supporting continuity of midwifery care throughout the woman's childbirth experience.
The maternity facilities must all provide a level of service to women birthing in their facilities and a certain level of support to their Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs). In the maternity facilities Core Midwives may also provide midwifery care to women who require secondary maternity care, and when LMC's have handed over care to the secondary service. Employed Obstetricians provide this service alongside the Core Midwives.
All women in New Zealand should have access to midwifery care in pregnancy and the postnatal period - no matter how complicated their pregnancy becomes. The midwifery perspective can be vital for the physical and mental health of women with complications in order to help them sustain some elements of a 'normal' pregnancy experience.
The growth in diabetes is a global problem. There are currently increasing numbers of woemn with diabets in South Auckland. Diabetes is a health issue, which will affect midwifery provision into the coming decade throughout Aotearoa/ New Zealand. The evolution of Diabetes Specialist Midwife roles within our multidisciplinary Diabetes in Pregnancy (DIP) Team is a midwifery based solution to a complex and growing health problem.This poster presentation submission will illustrate the development of our midwifery diabetes competency framework for midwives working within our DIP Team.
It also outlines the process for establishing a guideline for a multidisciplinary schedule of care for women with diabetes in pregnancy and development of a communication stretegy fro midwives (core and LMC), Obstetricinas, Diabetes Physicians, dieticians and administrative support staff that places women at the centre of the care.