Maternity Choices Australia

Maternity Choices Australia, formerly the Maternity Coalition is an Australian advocacy group which aims to improve the provision of maternity services to parents. It consists of individuals as well as other non-government organisations.

Philosophy

The Maternity Coalition:

  • encourages a woman-centred approach to the birth process;
  • regard pregnancy and childbirth as normal physiological processes, not illnesses;
  • stresses the social, cultural and psychological factors influencing childbirth;
  • supports midwives as the primary caregivers for women in normal birth;
  • emphasises women's rights to make informed choices about their caregiver and place of birth;
  • promotes continuous assessment and critical evaluation of technologies used in maternity care;
  • supports the development of services sensitive to women's varied cultural and physical needs.

Its statement seeking political reform of maternity services is outlined in the National Maternity Action Plan which was prepared by The Maternity Coalition in 2002.

Membership

As an umbrella organization it has institutional members from all States and Territories as well as individuals.

Individual founding members include:

Presidents

National
  • Robyn Payne 1998-2000
  • Dr Barbara Vernon 2001 - 2003
  • Justine Caines 2003 - 2005
  • Leslie Arnott, 2006
  • Cas McCulloch, 2007
  • Louise Hartley, 2008
  • Lisa Metcalfe, 2009-2010
  • Ann Catchlove, 2010

Queensland
  • Bruce Teakle 2002 - incumbent

ACT
  • Ingrid McKenzie 2003 - incumbent[1]

Journal

It publishes a quarterly journal entitled Birth Matters.

References
  1. Maternity Coalition Pressures Government - ABC News
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