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Objective: To measure satisfaction with general practitioner obstetrician‐led maternity care in Western Australia and to explore perspectives of maternity service users Design: Women were recruited at antenatal visits with their general practitioner obstetrician. Participants completed a validated three‐part survey about their satisfaction with antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care. They were all offered a semi‐structured interview. Setting: Nine general practitioner obstetrician practices located in regional Western Australia. Participants: 155 women receiving general practitioner obstetrician‐led maternity care within the South West or Great Southern regions of Western Australia. 13 of these women also participated in an interview. Main Outcome Measures: We quantified satisfaction with aspects of antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum care using a Likert scale. Descriptive variables included demographic information and birth outcomes. Qualitative data described valued aspects of maternity care. Results: 116 women completed all 3 surveys. General practitioner obstetrician‐led care resulted in high rates of satisfaction across all 3 stages of care, with 78%‐100% agreement with positively worded satisfaction statements. Thematic analysis identified four key aspects of care women valued when receiving maternity care: the woman‐centred care experience, the skills of the general practitioner obstetrician, support from the health care team and the health care environment. Conclusion: General practitioner obstetrician‐led maternity care is a highly regarded model of maternity care, valued by rural women with high rates of satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Disparities exist in pregnancy and birth outcomes between Australian Aboriginal women and their non-Aboriginal counterparts. Understanding patterns of health service use by Aboriginal women is critical. This study describes the use of maternal health services by remote dwelling Aboriginal women in northern Australia during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period and their burden of disease. Methods A retrospective cohort study of maternity care for all 412 maternity cases from two remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory of Australia, 2004-2006. Primary endpoints were the number and type of maternal health-related complications and service episodes at the health centers and regional hospital during pregnancy, birth, and the first 6 months postpartum. Results Ninety-three percent of women attended antenatal care. This often commenced late in pregnancy. High levels of complications were identified and 23 percent of all women required antenatal hospitalization. Birth occurred within the regional hospital for 90 percent of women. By 6 months postpartum, 45 percent of women had documented postnatal morbidities and 8 percent required hospital admission. The majority of women accessed remote health services at least once; however, only one third had a record of a postnatal care within 2 months of giving birth. Conclusion Maternal health outcomes were poor despite frequent service use throughout pregnancy, birth, and the first 6 months postpartum suggesting quality of care rather than access issues. These findings reflect outcomes that are more aligned with the developing rather than developed world and have significant implications for future planning of maternity services that must be urgently addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]