Menzies Health preterm birth prevention program launched in Darwin

A pioneering preterm birth prevention program launched in Darwin will boost pregnancy outcomes for Indigenous women and their babies, experts say. Read the details.

Pictured in front of some of the campaign materials is the Menzies Maternal Health Team: Jess Murray, Marisa Smiler-Cairns and Dr Kiarna Brown with one of the participants of Menzies maternal health projects, Fidelia.

A pioneering preterm birth prevention program launched in Darwin will boost pregnancy outcomes for Indigenous women and their babies.

The ‘See, Stop, Scan’ campaign aims to educate and empower Indigenous mothers by promoting better engagement between health care providers and pregnant Top End women, forming a true partnership.

The public health campaign was launched at the 2024 Australian College of Midwives NT Conference in Darwin on Friday.

The program is a collaboration between The Menzies School of Health Research and Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance.

Preterm is defined as birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Indigenous women in the Northern Territory experience some of the highest rates of preterm birth in the world - currently double that of the non-Indigenous population.

Menzies senior research fellow Dr Kiarna Brown said complex interactions between the mother and health clinics, along with poor health habits, were key factors influencing the adverse outcomes Indigenous mothers and babies experience.

Dr Brown said existing public pregnancy education was insufficient.

“Our team yarned with many First Nations women across the Top End, discovering that existing public pregnancy education was often unrelatable and inaccessible due to language and cultural barriers,” she said.

“Many reported having very limited knowledge about preterm birth and strategies for its prevention.“

The campaign hopes to address these issues through education and empowerment of Indigenous women to assist them in their pregnancy journey.

Menzies Aboriginal Health practitioner Marisa Smiler-Cairns has a lived experience of preterm birth.

‘See, Stop, Scan’ Launch Nov 15 Dr Kiarna Brown and Marisa Smiler-Cairns from Menzies School of Health Research

“I knew my risks for preterm birth were increased as an Indigenous women, but I wasn’t aware of the other challenges until I experienced it myself,” she said.

“This campaign will encourage future First Nations women to become more confident to ask the important questions and become better educated. It will give them a voice in their pregnancy journey.

“Education and understanding preterm birth and woman’s bodies will play a part in saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.”

Originally published as Menzies Health preterm birth prevention program launched in Darwin