Childbirth experience determined by where you live

AN expectant NSW mum’s birthing experience — ranging from labour lengths, pain relief and even baby size — could all come down to location, location, location.

Silvia Del Fabbro, from Moore Park, with her daughter Giulia. Picture: Justin Lloyd

AN expectant NSW mum’s birthing experience — ranging from labour lengths, pain relief and even baby size — could all come down to location, location, location.

An analysis of hospital data by The Saturday Telegraph has revealed some parts of Sydney have significantly higher rates of pain-relieving epidurals and labour-starting inductions than others, while many country mums experience fewer medical interventions than their city cousins.

The data, collected by NSW Health for all mothers and babies across the state, shows Central Coast women stay only two days on average after giving birth — the smallest stay in the state.

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital mothers on the other hand spend an average of three days afterwards, while private hospital mums average a bit over four and a half days.

The figures also reveal large variations in epidural rates between public hospitals.

Midwife Danielle Cartwright with newborn baby Harley Roper at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Fairfield Hospital only administered epidurals for 23 per cent of mums, at Armidale Hospitals the figure is 35 per cent of mums; but at St George Hospital and Gosford it was closer to 50 per cent.

Northern NSW District, which includes Grafton and Tweed Heads, is home to more home birthers than anywhere else and mums there also boast one of the highest rates of normal vaginal birth, at 68 per cent.

That compares with just 54.5 per cent of mums in the South Eastern Sydney health district, (which includes Royal Women’s and St George), and 32 per cent in private hospitals such as Calvary at Wagga.

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Western Sydney University’s Professor of Midwifery Hannah Dahlen said some of the differences would come down to the practices of a certain healthcare practitioner.

“With Northern NSW, there is a much more alternative demographic and women have read the research, particularly around Byron, which would explain why more women go into labour naturally,” she said.

The NSW Mothers and Babies report reveals women living on Sydney’s north are far more likely to have their antenatal care in the hospital where they eventually give birth (80 per cent), compared with women living in the western suburbs (only 30 per cent), who are more likely to receive that care from a GP.

Art: Daily Telegraph

Royal North Shore has among the highest rates of babies being breastfed before leaving hospital, at 87.6 per cent, while Fairfield Hospital had one of the lowest, at 49 per cent.

South Eastern Sydney mums had the highest rate of instrumental birth at 15 per cent.

Consumers Health Forum of Australia chief executive Leanne Wells said there was a concern “some women do not get the treatment they need” because of variations in practice.

“These big variations in the rate of obstetric procedures are disturbing,” she said. “They underline the need for firmer guidelines about when doctors should intervene.

“Doctors must be accountable for their actions, which are highly costly and can expose patients to unnecessary risk.”

Eastern suburbs mum Silvia Del Fabbro, 37, had her daughter Giulia, now five months, at Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick. She says she had a “great experience” there.

She had a natural delivery with an epidural.

Newborns Zoe Mina, Diyalah Darwich and George Ma at Royal North Shore Hospital.

“I don’t really think it’s the place you live. I think it’s probably more of a cultural thing in your own city,” she said.

“You just make your own mind up.

“Nobody told me what I should do and I think I would have decided for myself anyway.”

The highest rate of induction of labour was among Illawarra Shoalhaven residents, at 34 per cent, followed by Western Sydney at 33 per cent.

By contrast women in the Southern NSW District, which includes Bega, Goulburn and Queanbeyan Hospitals — had the lowest inductions, at 22 per cent. But they also delivered the biggest bubs — clocking up more “sumo” babies weighing more than 4.5kg than anywhere else.

The most elective caesareans in the public system were performed in the Blue Mountains, at 22 per cent, compared with just 10 per cent at Kempsey.