Level of maternity care help!

**visitor1** · May 11th, 2008, 10:26 PM

Ok now this is going to sound liek a really blonde question and may confuse people!

I know theres 3 types of care in Victoria:

Primary
Secondary
Tertiary

What do these levels mean? How do i know what level i was with the girls?

Now the hossy i used for both DD's last time was Monash. I loved it. But since talking to someone today in regards the student midwife follow through program (or what ever its called..i cant remember the exact name) and appointments being done at the hospital it got me thinking.

With the girls i had shared care so most of the time i went to my GP and only a few times to the hospital.

But i often hear about people doing most of their care through to hospital midwifes/doctors etc.

So my question is.....what lever of maternity care will allow me to use the hospital rather then shared care. I dont want that this time.

Ive been looking at MMC care and theres three that id be interested in:

Midwives clinic- primary level
Standard- All levels
Team midwifery-Primary level

I dont want shared care.....but i guess if i dont fall in Primary level then i need to do shared care....

Or perhaps Standard.....but what does standard mean??

Sorry for all the questions..i hope some one can help or understand what i mean!!!

TIA

**feeb** · May 11th, 2008, 10:35 PM

I think you may be talking in relation to hopsitals.
Primary is a hospital without a special care nursery or alevel 1 nursery
Secondry is a hospital with a level 2 nursery (keep babies form 32 weeks onwards as long as not intubated)
Teritary have a neonatal intensive care (RWH, MMC and mercy)

When you go for your appt you tell them you want midwife care/team midwifery and do not want shared care.

Not sure if this helps or not

**visitor1** · May 11th, 2008, 10:48 PM

Oh Feeb i knew you would come save me and explain what the heck im on about!!

Right so i can pick what kida care i want?

Is there restrictions as to what kind of care i might be limited too?

**feeb** · May 11th, 2008, 10:52 PM

As long as you have no medical issues that will restrict you to being high risk, there shoudl be no reason why they would restrict you.

Not sure exactly where you live but Casey which is part of MMC hasNo one can a great midwife lead care program and are all for acrive birth. As is the family birth centre at monash.

No one can make you have any sort of care while you ae low risk which is why they have options.

Maybe give them al call and suss them out so that you know how they do things there as i have not worked there to know how woman get into different care models.