Birthing services in the Top End

If you are pregnant and living in a remote communities in the Northern Territory (NT), the below information may be useful.

Before 37 weeks pregnant

You will receive pregnancy care at your nearest community care centre until you are 37 weeks pregnant.

Your pregnancy care is provided by:

• midwives
• nurses
• doctors
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

You may need to travel to a hospital at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy for an ultrasound or for other tests. 

Your community care centre will arrange your travel and accommodation before you leave. 

They will send your pregnancy records to the hospital.

After 37 weeks pregnant

Once you are 37 weeks pregnant you need to travel to a hospital to await the birth of your baby.

You will give birth at one of the following hospitals, depending on where you live:

• Alice Springs Hospital
• Gove District Hospital
• Katherine Hospital
• Royal Darwin Hospital.

Your community care centre will arrange your travel and accommodation before you leave. 

They will send your pregnancy records to the hospital.

After your baby is born

You can go home once you and your baby are well. 

The hospital will arrange travel and accommodation before you leave.

The hospital will also notify your nearest community care centre. You will continued to be cared for by the community nurse and midwife. 

Strong women, strong babies, strong culture program

If you are an Aboriginal woman and live in Canteen Creek, Utopia or Yuendumu, you can access the strong women, strong babies, strong culture program.

The program respects and supports the traditional way of teaching women about healthy choices in pregnancy and early parenting. 

Program workers can:

• go to health centre pregnancy visits with you
• help you learn about good food and good health for mother and baby.

For more information about the program call (08) 8955 6106.