Antenatal Shared Care - Pregnancy Advice & Management

Pregnant or planning-to-become pregnant patients can be seen by one of our approved "Shared Care GPs". A Shared Care GP is a general practitioner with additional training in obstetrics, who is appointed by the hospital to provide complete pregnancy care to public patients who are not going through a private obstetrician.

You will be seen by the Shared Care GP every month for the first six months, fortnightly for the next two months and then every week for the last month. They will arrange all necessary blood tests, ultrasounds, hospital visits etc. during this time.

You will be referred to the relevant hospital, where you will have about four visits during the nine months. This will be where delivery will take place, usually by a midwife, plus care for the baby and mother whilst in hospital. This way, both the hospital and your Shared Care GP are kept fully informed of your progress i.e. they "share" the care of you.

The benefits of this include your Shared Care GP being available at short notice, a convenient location to where you live or work with appointments available during lunch time or after work, follow-up care of both you and your new baby when you get home (including vaccinations) and most of all, continuity of care which encourages a trusting relationship to develop.