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Maternal and Infant Health

National Antenatal Care Guidelines

National Evidence-Based Antenatal Care Guidelines have been developed by the Australian Government in collaboration with state and territory governments.

National Evidence-Based Antenatal Care Guidelines

The Guidelines are designed to support Australian maternity services to provide high-quality, evidence-based antenatal care to healthy pregnant women. The Guidelines will assist health care professionals who contribute to antenatal care including: midwives, general practitioners, obstetricians, maternal and child health nurses, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers, practice nurses and allied health professionals. The recommendations cover a wide range of care including routine physical examinations, screening tests and social and lifestyle advice for women with an uncomplicated pregnancy.

The development of the Guidelines has been undertaken in two Modules. Module 1 of the Guidelines which is available here covers care in the first trimester of pregnancy. Module 2 is in development.

Module 1 contains chapters on ‘Providing woman-centred care’, ‘Antenatal care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’ and ‘Population groups with specific care needs’ such as women in rural and remote areas. Clinical topics covered relate to antenatal visits, clinical assessments, screening of maternal and fetal health, and lifestyle considerations. The Guidelines complement the Australian Dietary Guidelines, the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, the National Perinatal Depression Initiative and the Australian National Breastfeeding Strategy 2010-2015.

Clinical Practice Guidelines - Antenatal care - Module 1 (PDF 2785 KB)

National approach to Guideline development

In November 2010 all Health Ministers agreed to the National Maternity Services Plan which included the development of National Evidence-Based Antenatal Care Guidelines as a priority under Action 2.1: Ensure Australian maternity services provide high-quality, evidence-based maternity care.

The Department is managing the development of the Guidelines on behalf of all Australian Governments.

Expert input and consultation

The Guidelines’ recommendations are informed by clinical evidence. The evidence base for the Guidelines’ recommendations has been analysed in accordance with National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) requirements. An Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) provides clinical expertise as to the appropriateness of the Guidelines in promoting optimal care for pregnant women across Australia. The EAC includes members with expertise in midwifery, obstetrics, maternal fetal medicine, gynaecology, maternal mental health and perinatal and infant development.

A number of working groups were established by the EAC to provide specialised advice. A working group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Antenatal Care and a Migrant and Refugee Working Group ensure appropriate focus on the needs of these populations.

In June 2011 public consultation was undertaken on a draft of Module 1, resulting in over fifty submissions from health departments, non-government organisations, health services and individuals. The EAC considered all submissions for the Guidelines, reviewed the evidence and revised several recommendations accordingly.

NHMRC and AHMAC approved

Module 1 of the Guidelines was approved by the NHMRC on 6 December 2011, then endorsed by the AHMAC (with a minor amendment) on 31 August 2012. This required re-approval by the NHMRC which was received on 17 December 2012.

Module 2 will cover the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and is currently under development. A draft of Module 2 is expected to be released for consultation mid 2013 followed by finalisation of the Module and its publication around early 2014.

Expert Advisory Committee

The EAC membership includes experts in obstetrics, midwifery, psychiatry, general practice, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, rural health and a consumer representative.

Expert Advisory Committee Co-Chairs

Professor Caroline Homer
Professor of Midwifery
Director: Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health,
Associate Dean (International and Development)
Associate Head: World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and health Development, Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney.

Professor Jeremy Oats
Chair Victorian Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity
Medical Co-Director Northern Territory Integrated Maternity Services
Professorial Fellow Melbourne School Population and Global Health, Department Obstetrics and Gynaecology University of Melbourne.

Expert Advisory Committee Terms of Reference

1. Provide advice, expertise and direction on the appropriateness of the guidelines to promote optimal care for pregnant women across Australia
2. Supervise the party that is commissioned to:
1. Consult with a number of advisory groups to draft and review evidence-based guidelines as well as national and international literature on antenatal care with specific attention to the health needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander pregnant women, their families and other vulnerable groups;
2. Consult widely to develop evidence based guidelines that will function as a useful resource for clinicians and pregnant women and their families in a variety of Australian healthcare contexts;
3. Undertake analysis of harms and benefits in the Australian context and determine the costs/benefits and cost effectiveness of proposed interventions in accordance with available literature;
3. Produce a dissemination plan for the implementation and determine a process for ongoing monitoring of clinical uptake of the guidelines.
4. Ensure the guidelines are developed as set out in the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) protocols and endorsed by the NHMRC.

Secretariat Contact Details

Email: eac@health.gov.au
Mail: National Evidence-Based Antenatal Care Guidelines Secretariat
MDP 856
Department of Health and Ageing
PO Box 9848
CANBERRA ACT 2601