May 5 is always a significant date in Sue Sweeney\u2019s calendar.<\/p>\n
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For Portland District Health\u2019s maternity services clinical coordinator, the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) is a day to celebrate her profession and her team.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s a celebration of midwives, our autonomy, our passion for midwifery, our devotion and dedication to the profession and the crucial care to mothers and their newborns ,\u201d Sue says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt\u2019s really significant that it is recognised as a specific day and the midwives appreciate that recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Sue says midwives are proud of their distinction as a stand-alone profession.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are health professions but we are different,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are many reasons why midwives have chosen to work specifically in this field, and we are all passionate about midwifery and ensuring the best outcomes for women and babies.\u201d<\/p>\n
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This year’s IDM theme, ‘Together again: from evidence to reality’ reflects the emphasis PDH\u2019s team puts on evidence-based practice, which has been boosted recently with local midwives, Chloe Petch, Sasha Purcell and Alice Maniapoto, joining the national collaborative for pre-term births, known as Every Week Counts. The aim of this collaborative to reduce the rate of pre-term and early term (37-39 weeks gestation) by 20%.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThey bring evidence from the collaborative that will inform change across the whole region,\u201d Sue said. \u201cFor example, Ultrasound measurement of cervical length has been established as a very important part of assessing a woman\u2019s risk of preterm birth and all pregnant women should have cervical length measured. This has led to PDH now measuring all women at the mid-pregnancy scan.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Sue has dedicated much of her working career to the midwifery profession. \u201cI am passionate about midwives working at the highest end of the scope and it\u2019s a privilege to be part of a woman\u2019s journey across the continuum of her birthing experience,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
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Sue came to Portland in 2022 to head-up PDH\u2019s revived maternity service and is happy to report that the unit is going strongly.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are on track for 80 births this year. We\u2019ve done 33 since reopening local birthing services and have a lot booked for April.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Many other women are receiving their care at PDH but are birthing elsewhere because they are considered high risk.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe have a strong midwifey team, including two recent recruits, a new post-graduate midwife and a student midwife to ensure we sustain and grow our workforce.<\/p>\n
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Caption \u2013 Elizabeth Clements, Claire Jorgensen, Alice Maniapoto and Sue Sweeney.<\/p>\n
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