$3 million to support more expectant mothers to attend antenatal ultrasound scans

• The Miles Government is improving access to antenatal ultrasound scans for expectant Queensland mothers
• An additional $3 million will be invested into maternal fetal medicine services across Queensland for high-risk pregnancies including the provision of specialist ultrasound services
• The announcement follows the findings of a review ordered by the Health Minister which found many pregnant women are not attending all their recommended ultrasound scans.

The Miles Government is boosting support for expectant mothers to have their recommended antenatal ultrasound scans, following a comprehensive review into perinatal deaths by the Queensland Perinatal and Maternity Quality Council.

Released today, a key finding from the Review of selected 2022 Perinatal Deaths, highlights the importance of antenatal ultrasound scans.

The Minister for Health requested the review to determine if there were any common contributing factors associated with a reported increase in the perinatal mortality rate for Queensland from 10.8 per 1,000 births in 2021 to 12.3 per 1,000 births in 2022.

The review examined 158 perinatal deaths for stillbirths less than 28 weeks and neonatal deaths less than 22 weeks, and revealed a significant number of women were missing recommended scans.

While the review found no general interventions that would have changed these outcomes, it prompted health authorities to look at ways to encourage pregnant women to get ultrasounds.

The review also confirmed the significance of known maternal risk factors for stillbirth and neonatal death such as elevated body mass index in the pregnant person, age 20 or younger during pregnancy, lower socioeconomic status and First Nations background.

The Miles Government has accepted all eight recommendations of the report that focus on strengthening data collection and comparison. 

This has prompted the government to urge expectant mothers to prioritise these essential screening tools.

Ultrasound scans play a vital role in monitoring fetal development, identifying potential complications, and guiding ongoing care.

The Miles Government has committed to multiple actions to support pregnant women to access the recommended antenatal scans at 12 to 14 weeks and at 20 to 22 weeks gestation.

An additional $3 million will go to strengthening maternal fetal medicine services across Queensland that provide expert care to high-risk pregnancies to support better outcomes for Queensland mothers and babies, including the provision of specialist ultrasound services.

Changes will also be made to allow more ways for pregnant woman to self-refer to a public hospital early in the pregnancy so they can access the appropriate scans at the clinically recommended time, rather than need a referral from an external health provider.

Queensland Health will also launch a social media education campaign targeted at women and families primarily about the importance of antenatal care and antenatal ultrasounds.

The social media campaign will be supported by a new public facing website, with reliable, easy to understand information that supports expecting parents throughout their journey.

These actions complement existing initiatives such as the Miles Government Putting Queensland Kids First Plan that has a $18.44 million Supporting Healthy Pregnancies initiative that is increasing health risk screening of pregnant women during antenatal care.

This is in addition to the $21 million investment in this year’s budget for the Growing Deadly Families program aimed at enhancing maternity services for every woman in Queensland giving birth to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander baby.

Key findings of the review include:

• No increase in preventable perinatal deaths in 2022.
• No generalised interventions or modifiable factors that could have changed the outcome.
• The increase in perinatal mortality during this period reflects an increase in late second trimester miscarriages, mostly occurring before viable gestations.
• The clinical care provided aligned with best practice.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman:

“I’d like to express my deepest condolences to the mothers and families who have experienced a perinatal death.

“What’s meant to be a time of celebration, when families eagerly anticipate welcoming a new baby, can become a time of immense grief.

“We ordered this review to better understand why these deaths occur and how we can better support pregnant women to identify the risk factors.

“While the review found there were no interventions which would have changed the outcome in these instances, it did find that a high number of women were not accessing the recommended antenatal ultrasounds.

“The Miles Labor Government that is making access to these scans easier, particularly for those with high-risk pregnancies.

“And I’d like to urge all pregnant people to attend the recommended scans to better inform themselves about their pregnancy’s progress. 

“I’d like to thank all our clinicians and healthcare workers for their compassionate service to parents experiencing perinatal loss. The review found that the care delivered aligned with best practice, and I have no doubt about it.

“Queenslanders absolutely deserve the best care, especially when dealing with insurmountable loss, and we will continue to work tirelessly to deliver world-class healthcare for everyone.”

Quotes attributable to Co-Chair of the Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council and Senior Medical Officer in Obstetrics and Gynaecology Professor Edward Weaver

“The Queensland Maternal and Perinatal Quality Council (QMPQC) welcomes Queensland Health’s positive response to the report recommendations.

“Early access to antenatal care is critical to having the best possible outcomes for mothers and babies.

“Raising awareness of the importance of early antenatal care, strong referral pathways for people with high-risk pregnancies, and strengthening maternal fetal medicine services in Queensland are key steps toward improving maternal health outcomes.

“The QMPQC is committed to improving the pregnancy outcomes for First Nations women and women living in remote and rural areas.  Improving access to scans and other comprehensive care measures will help this.”

ENDS

Media contact: HealthMedia@ministerial.qld.gov.au