Queensland’s PFHB limits hinterland women from birthing services
AS revealed by GC&M News last week, the state government’s new publicly funded home birth (PFHB) program does not extend to pregnant women living 30 minutes or more away from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH).
This restriction leaves many women in the hinterland without access to this invaluable service, alongside those classified as high-risk pregnancies.
Glass House mother Sarah Kwarcianyi, who had two home births privately, noted that she would not have been eligible for the PFHB due to her high-risk status. “I probably wouldn’t have been eligible for that program because, even though I’m fit and healthy, my first birth was caesarean,” Sarah explained. “So when I gave birth to my third child and first home birth, I was still classified as high risk. “A lot of doctors would have still classified me as a risk because even after having a VBAC, they still say there’s a risk of your scar rupturing, even on your second birth after.”
Glass House MP Andrew Powell’s wife, Taryn, who has had three home births, believes this program is long overdue. “When we moved to the Sunshine Coast 21 years ago, there wasn’t a birthing centre or a midwife-led option available here, so she gave birth at home with midwife assistance,” Andrew said. “This kind of program, where the government is looking to fund it, is well overdue. “We were in a position to fund the home births ourselves, but many can’t, so I definitely welcome it in that regard.” Andrew added that if birthing services in regional and rural areas, such as Maleny, were reinstated, the PFHB’s distance limitation wouldn’t be an issue.
“You used to be able to give birth in Maleny, but you can’t anymore,” he said. “Interestingly, if those services were still available at Maleny, this 30-minute rule wouldn’t really apply to the hinterland because everyone would be covered.”
Beerwah mother and midwife, Sarah, believes that, given this is a new program, the 30-minute distance rule is appropriate, particularly for high-risk pregnancies. “I personally wouldn’t classify VBACs as high risk, but if they had a history of eclampsia, high blood pressure, or gestational diabetes, then that carries lots of risks for the baby as well,” Sarah said. “I would assume SCUH would need to hire more midwives for this program, as PFHB midwives might need to be on call 24/7. The hospital would have to find people willing to do it.