Any help that can be offered to new and expecting mothers is obviously so vitally important.
$0/
(min cost $0)
Login or signup to continue reading
This is particularly true in regional areas of Tasmania where geographical isolation and the ability to access services can be more challenging than in other areas of the state.
This region has faced this issue in recent times with the well documented worries that were raised over maternity services access, a situation that found a resolution when it was transferred to the public system ahead of schedule late last year.
That debate highlighted the importance of ensuring the right, and support was available in one of the most important periods of someone's life.
That is why an idea that has been floated by a senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania which would be beneficial to new and expecting mothers, and their families, deserves to be explored further.
School of Medicine senior lecturer Jennifer Ayton has recommend that the state government consider the development of a dedicated statewide maternity health bereavement team and services, as well as having dedicated maternity mental health support services.
There is so much merit to this idea, to help provide even more support in what is a stressful, and at times traumatic, environment.
Dr Ayton's submission to a Tasmanian parliamentary committee inquiry on maternity and reproduction health services, which highlighted preliminary results from the Giving Voice to Women project, painted the picture of what can be significant challenges.
She noted that the results she had collected had shown that "mental health support and care was absent", a statement in itself which is quite worrying.
Dr Ayton also said the results had shown that one in three women experienced a traumatic event during birthing, such as an unwanted clinical intervention, being spoken to in a dismissive manner or feeling ignored.
This is all on top of the fact that experiences with pregnancy and birthing were worse in rural and remote areas and to quote Dr Ayton "the trauma of 'losing a baby' was exacerbated for women living in the North and North-West of the state."
When questioned on the idea on the weekend, Premier Jeremy Rockliff said said it was "always open-minded when it came to ideas to deliver new services in a compassionate way."
On face value at least, it would seem this idea meets that criteria.
Have your say. Send us a Letter to the Editor to letters@theadvocate.com.au or by using the form below.
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Deputy Editor of The Advocate on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.
Any support we can give mothers is something well worth exploring
22
0
08.05.2024
Any help that can be offered to new and expecting mothers is obviously so vitally important.
$0/
(min cost $0)
Login or signup to continue reading
This is particularly true in regional areas of Tasmania where geographical isolation and the ability to access services can be more challenging than in other areas of the state.
This region has faced this issue in recent times with the well documented worries that were raised over maternity services access, a situation that found a resolution when it was transferred to the public system ahead of schedule late last year.
That debate highlighted the importance of ensuring the right, and support was available in........
© The Examiner
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Tarik Cyril Amar
Rami G Khouri
Dr Ramzy Baroud
Mort Laitner
Bradley Blankenship
