Dr Adele Murdolo is the Executive Director at the Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health in Melbourne.
She says antenatal care aims to improve health and prevent disease for both the pregnant woman and her baby.
According to data published by the in 2019, 55 per cent of women attended antenatal care within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.
“There are some conditions that migrant and refugee women have a higher rate of... gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and also higher rates of stillbirth. So, if there are any issues throughout the pregnancy, most often the earlier that condition or risk of that condition is picked up the earlier you can take preventative action yourself, or the health practitioner can put in place some really good supports for the later pregnancy and for the birth to prevent problems, not only during the pregnancy, but at the birthing stage as well.”))
Migrant women were one of the four groups identified as less likely to have an antenatal visit in the first trimester. Dr Murdolo explains.
Dr Murdolo recommends that women book that first appointment with their GP as soon as they find out they are pregnant, as there can be a waiting period.
