Maternity and newborn services

Each year, over 75,000 women give birth in Victorian hospitals. Three-quarters of these births are in the public system.

Special care nurseries and neonatal intensive care support 10,000 babies each year.

The public maternity service system in Victoria includes:

metropolitan hospitals
regional and rural hospitals
emergency retrieval and referral services.

The public system also includes a small number of specialist hospitals, known as tertiary hospitals.

These hospitals assist women with complex or high-risk pregnancies. They also provide intensive care for newborns.

Maternity and newborn services user guide

This guide provides Victorian maternity and newborn services with service-specific tools and resources to strengthen clinical governance and quality and safety processes.

It has been developed by Safer Care Victoria and our department.

Find out more by visiting the Safer Care Victoria website.

Review of perinatal mental health screening approaches

In response to recommendation 18.2 of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, we commissioned a review to develop recommendations on perinatal mental health screening.

Capability frameworks for maternity and newborn services

A variety of birthing services are available in Victoria depending on the level of care required. Capability frameworks support and guide how planned maternity and newborn care is provided.

Newborn care in Victoria

Neonatal services in Victoria provide care for sick babies in the first few weeks and months of life.

Aboriginal maternity services

Koori maternity services improve access to culturally appropriate maternity care for Aboriginal women and babies.

Emergency referral and retrieval for pregnant women, newborns and children

There are services that provide advice and emergency transport of pregnant women and newborn children with serious and life-threatening conditions.

Victorian Maternity Record

The Victorian Maternity Record provides all pregnant women in Victoria with a uniform record of their pregnancy care.

Victorian Maternity Record - order form

The order form for the Victorian Maternity Record.

Reviewed 12 March 2024

Health.vic

Contact us

Maternity and Newborn Program

maternity@dhhs.vic.gov.au