The options available to you for place of birth include:
Home birth
If you choose a home birth you would be cared for by either an independent midwife of your choice, or a doctor who delivers babies and provides a home service.
Birthing unit
A birthing unit is where you can be cared for by an independent midwife of your choice, a GP and hospital midwife, or hospital/unit primary care midwives.
Private maternity hospital
A private maternity hospital would usually be staffed by doctors and midwives. Services would incur fees and may be covered by private health care insurance. Check with your individual policy and contact the hospital for more information about the services on offer.
Secondary or Tertiary hospital
In secondary or tertiary hospitals you can be cared for by an independent midwife, or independent midwife and private obstetrician, or a GP and hospital midwives, or a private obstetrician and hospital midwives, or a hospital team, or hospital based Know Your Midwife (KYM) or Domino scheme midwives.
You may not have all these options available in some areas in New Zealand.
If you choose a homebirth, or to give birth in a small unit, you will be transferred to a larger unit if complications arise.
Choosing a Lead maternity carer (LMC)
Usually, the first health professional you see regarding your pregnancy will provide you with the information you require about options for your healthcare and place of birth.
You will choose a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) for yourself. Your LMC is responsible for organizing your maternity care, and developing your care plan in partnership with you. Check whether your LMC provides all of your care during pregnancy, labour and birth, and your post-natal care. If not, ask whether/whom they will refer you to for part of your care.
If you are unhappy with your LMC or the services provided, you can change to another at any time. Your LMC or their backup are required to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Your LMC can be one of the following:
Independent midwife
An independent midwife will provide antenatal, labour and birth and postnatal care for normal pregnancy.
General Practitioner/Doctor
Your family doctor (GP) may provide care for normal pregnancy and birth and for some medical problems complicating pregnancy.
A family doctor will usually provide pregnancy care at their surgery, will care for part of your labour and birth with an independent midwife or hospital midwives, and usually shares postnatal care.
NOTE: Some GPs only provide care during pregnancy, and do not provide care during labour and birth. They cannot be your LMC.
GP maternity care should be free if you are a resident or citizen of New Zealand.
Private obstetrician
Some obstetricians will provide normal maternity care as well as specialise in complications during pregnancy and birth. An obstetrician usually attends for part of labour and birth and may work with an independent midwife or hospital midwives. Your post-natal care is then usually shared.
Note too that all care provided by a private obstetrician involves you paying for their services.
Hospital Primary care team
Care is provided by a midwifery team, and/or a team of hospital specialists and midwives.
If you choose a GP or private obstetrician as your LMC you will also require midwifery care. You can choose to receive midwifery care from an independent midwife or a hospital midwifery team. All midwifery care should be free of charge.
What does it cost?
Midwives and GP services should be provided free of charge. You may however be charged for the following:
- Private obstetric care and/or care in a private maternity hospital
- Negative pregnancy urine test
- If you are not a New Zealand citizen or do not have permanent residency
- Private laboratory tests
- Ultrasound scans
- childbirth education classes
- Transfer from home to hospital or from one hospital to another in an ambulance
It is best to discuss the possibility of fees for any tests recommended by your LMC beforehand.
Your rights during pregnancy and birth in New Zealand:
- To choose your place of birth
- To be treated with respect, cultural sensitivity, and to maintain dignity
- To choose your LMC and to change them at any time
- To decide who will be present (or not) at your birth
- To accept or refuse any treatment
- To ask any risks or side effects for any treatment to both you and your baby
- To choose how you give birth and to follow your feelings and instinct during birth
- To be accompanied by your LMC and support people of your choice if needing to transfer to a larger maternity hospital
- To choose how and what your baby is fed
- To not be separated from your baby
- To register a complaint
- To understand your care and the rationale for recommendations made
- To read or have a copy of yours or your baby’s medical records
- To have a trained interpreter if English not your native language
- To accept or refuse participation in a research project, or for student health care professionals to provide/participate in your care