Birth records/history

**RainbowRiver** · April 8th, 2014, 05:00 PM

Not sure it's the right spot, but kinda relevant!

Has anyone applied to have their medical records released?
How did you do it?
Are you given all your birth records or just the most recent? Or all hospital records relating to the single person?

Im really curious to read my first and 4th baby in particular.

It will be through Monash/Southern Health if that makes any difference

**Ca Plane Pour Moi** · April 8th, 2014, 05:39 PM

Yes, I did.

Very long, very painful, involved writing to MPs when the hosp did not bother to release them. (I had an incompetent hospital.)

I do have a complete copy now, though.

Be aware that some hospitals destroy notes after a length of time too, so I'd start with calling the hospital. You also may have to pay for a copy, due to time and copying expenses.

**onthefly** · April 8th, 2014, 06:52 PM

Apparently if you ask your GP to get them, then you don't have to pay.

**HotI** · April 8th, 2014, 07:08 PM

my midwife requested them and i (we) received them at no cost.

Birthtalk have a blog describing the things to ask for when requesting your notes. i hope this link is ok

Retrieving your birth records after a traumatic birth : how to get them, what to do with them, and why it can be a healing step | The Truth About Traumatic Birth

if you google "monash foi" you can see the hospital procedure and costs for applying for your records through freedom of information (foi).

**Ca Plane Pour Moi** · April 8th, 2014, 07:11 PM

I tried my GP but they refused, saying that only I could request them. My GP also thought I was mad for asking for a pre-TTC health check. Darn it, Australia, why do you have GPs who will actually try to help?

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · April 8th, 2014, 07:07 PM

yep I just applied through my hospitals health information officer.,I got both my files for both my dds. full documents (pregnancy, labour and birth). cost me $35.

wish I'd thought to ask my OB or GP MadB!

**Pretty In Pink** · April 8th, 2014, 07:30 PM

I got mine and my DD's through applying directly to the hospital I had her at. They sent me a form and I paid a small fee and they rang me about a week later to come collect them. It was all done under 'Freedom of Information'. Goodluck

**RainbowRiver** · April 8th, 2014, 09:50 PM

Awesome thanks for the infomation. I'm hoping to get my records for all the births. I'll start the process very soon now I know how to go about doing so

**Lady-bug** · April 9th, 2014, 07:23 AM

I just phoned the hospital and had to go and pay for it and then they were posted to me.

**jellybean88** · April 9th, 2014, 08:57 AM

Can you get them for curiosity sake? Not for trauma

**RainbowRiver** · April 9th, 2014, 09:21 AM

Can you get them for curiosity sake? Not for trauma

That's all I'm wanting mine for, except #4 birth as I want to see what went wrong and what was documented. #1 wasn't an easy birth so want to see what happened there too

**HotI** · April 9th, 2014, 09:54 AM

Can you get them for curiosity sake? Not for trauma

Yep. They are your records. You don't have to state why you want them.

It is good to have an idea of what it is you want to have a look at, bc you may not get everything if you just request "birth notes", you may need to be more specific.

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · April 9th, 2014, 09:54 AM

i got mine purely as a record for myself as well as my daughters should they ever decide to have kids! Both files have gone into their respective memory boxes along with all their birth tags and announcement cards etc. no birth trauma involved for me. which, of course, doesn't negate those who have gone through the very real event of birth trauma and require their files as part of the journey of healing for them.

**Ca Plane Pour Moi** · April 9th, 2014, 05:16 PM

i got mine purely as a record for myself as well as my daughters should they ever decide to have kids! Both files have gone into their respective memory boxes along with all their birth tags and announcement cards etc. no birth trauma involved for me. which, of course, doesn't negate those who have gone through the very real event of birth trauma and require their files as part of the journey of healing for them.

How lovely! Tbh, I think hospitals should give the notes to the mother rather than archiving then destroying. If I had a good pregnancy and birth experience, I'd have loved to share the notes with Liebling. I will keep them for him now, so should he wish to discuss that sort of stuff then he has something to look at.

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · April 9th, 2014, 09:59 AM

yep, as HotI said, you may need to specify which information you want. I requested my whole file which covered my prenatal care, the labour, birth and postpartum records. Both my files were big!

**jellybean88** · April 9th, 2014, 10:00 AM

I went private so I wonder if if have to ask the ob as well as the hospital

**~Gee_Whizzy~** · April 9th, 2014, 10:02 AM

I went private so I wonder if if have to ask the ob as well as the hospital

both my pregnancies were private and i just applied directly to the hospital for my records. For my OB visits i requested my files directly from him :-)

**RainbowRiver** · April 9th, 2014, 10:12 AM

Reading the application form from my hospital it says 'complete medical history' so would that include everything I've ever done at the hospital (including emergency admissions etc)?

And you can select which locations you want (I've dealt with 3 of their hospital branches)