Shared maternity care, workshop 2

Workshop 2 of 2 shared maternity care workshops in collaboration with NWMPHN and Western Health, Mercy Health, Northern Health, The Royal Women’s Hospital.

In this workshop, attendees will gain practical insights into folate supplementation, fish oil use and fetal rhesus testing, followed by an update on the GP's role in the fourth trimester, including maternal recovery, blood pressure management, pre-eclampsia, diabetes prevention, breastfeeding challenges and pelvic floor rehabilitation.

Making Sense of Folate, Fish Oil and Fetal Rhesus Testing

With evolving evidence and varying recommendations, it can be challenging to know what advice to provide during pregnancy. This session will explore the current evidence and practical recommendations for folate supplementation, fish oil use, and fetal rhesus testing. Attendees will gain clarity on best practice approaches, understand recent developments, and build confidence in counselling and supporting pregnant women in primary care.

The GP's role in the fourth trimester

The postnatal period presents important opportunities for GPs to support maternal health and prevent longer-term complications. This session will provide a practical update on the GP's role in the fourth trimester, including monitoring physical recovery after birth, management of hypertension and pre-eclampsia, diabetes prevention following gestational diabetes, breastfeeding challenges, and pelvic floor rehabilitation. Attendees will gain evidence-based strategies to support women in the weeks and months after childbirth, promote recovery, identify red flags, and optimise long-term health outcomes.

Speakers 

A/Prof Alexis Shub is an obstetrician and maternal fetal medicine specialist at Mercy Hospital for Women with expertise in diabetes, obesity and endocrine disorders in pregnancy. She is Director of Obstetrics, Head of the Emergency Department, Head of PIPER Perinatal, and Vice Chair of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society.

Dr Ekaterina Jovic is a gynaecologist and obstetrician. She serves as the acting Head of Obstetrics at Northern Health and is a core clinician at the Maven Centre. Known for her dedication to medical education, she also holds a role as a Clinical Teaching Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

Dr Siaw Wong is a General and Obstetric Medicine Physician at the Mercy Hospital for Women and Northern Health, and currently serves as the Head of Obstetrics Medicine at Northern Health. She is passionate about providing exceptional care to women in pregnancy and supports healthcare professionals in achieving optimal outcomes for mothers and babies, from pre- conception to post-birth.

Learning outcomes:

• Outline the GP’s role in supporting maternal physical recovery during the fourth trimester.
• Explain current evidence and importance of postpartum blood pressure surveillance and early identification of pre eclampsia complications.
• Describe how to apply an integrated postpartum care framework that supports maternal wellbeing, optimises chronic disease risk reduction, offers breastfeeding support and ensures safe follow up for women with complex pregnancies. (For example: hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, cholestasis.)
• Identify pregnant women who require high-dose folic acid supplementation and provide evidence-based advice on commonly used prenatal supplements, including fish oil and complementary therapies.
• Apply current recommendations for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for fetal RhD status in RhD-negative pregnancies and incorporate results into antenatal management.

Be sure to register for both workshops.

Session 1: Event Detail - North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network

By registering for this workshop, you acknowledge and consent to your personal details being shared with the participating hospitals for the purposes of program delivery and administration