Gold Coast Birth Centre - Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies

Indicator 20: Do women make informed decisions about epidural during
labour 13
Gold standard care is defined as women feeling that they made an informed decision about having an epidural (that is, the pros
and cons were discussed and they decided from all their available options).
Of those who had a labour, we asked women who had an epidural: “Did your maternity care provider(s) discuss with you the
pros and cons (benefits and risks) of having and not having an epidural (an injection in your back for pain relief) during your
labour” and “Who decided if you would or would not have an epidural during your labour”
The graph displays the proportion of women who had a labour and made an informed decision to have an epidural.
STATEWIDE PUBLIC
65
Gold Coast Hospital (n=37)
76
Gold Coast Birth Centre (n=0)
Insufficient data
STATEWIDE PRIVATE
73
John Flynn Private Hospital (n=9)
Insufficient data
Pindara Private Hospital (n=43)
79
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Best public hospital in Queensland:
Toowoomba Hospital 77%
Best public birth centre in Queensland:
Insufficient data
Best private hospital in Queensland:
Mater Mothers’ Private Redland 100%
What do women say about their care
“I cannot speak highly enough about the care I received in
a midwife base care model where trust was developed
between me and my care providers. I was fully informed
about my options at all times and all of my decisions were
respected. There is a lot to be said about this model of
care and it should be more readily available.”
“I had decided in my birth plan I wanted an epidural. I was
given one however when the midwives changed shifts the
new midwife told me I was no longer allowed to use it.”
13
Insufficient data for Atherton Hospital, Biloela Hospital, Dalby Hospital, Emerald Hospital, Gladstone Hospital, Gold Coast Birth Centre,
Goondiwindi Hospital, Gympie Hospital, Hervey Bay Hospital, Innisfail Hospital, John Flynn Private Hospital, Kingaroy Health Service, Longreach
Hospital, Mackay Birth Centre, Mareeba Hospital, Mater Misericordiae Hospital Rockhampton, Mater Misericordiae Hospital Gladstone, Mt Isa
Hospital, Proserpine Hospital, Stanthorpe Hospital, St Andrew’s Ipswich Private Hospital, Townsville Birth Centre and Warwick Hospital.
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