Publicly funded homebirth (PFHB) is a model of maternity care provided & funded by public hospitals. Eligible women are assigned a primary midwife who cares for them throughout pregnancy, birth and post-partum and are supported to plan a homebirth.  For more information about the pros and cons of PFHB please the the Homebirth Information page of our website here.

New South Wales

In this model, continuity of midwifery care is provided by a small group of midwives who are on call for you throughout your pregnancy, birth and early postnatal period at home. The aim of Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) is to provide you with a known midwife for your birth and postnatal care at home. Midwives are trained specialists in normal pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care. For most women your group of midwives will be able to provide the majority of your care. Births can be in the Birth Centre, Delivery Suite or in your home.

Westmead Midwifery Caseload Practice promotes (WMCP) pregnancy and childbirth as a normal life event. We understand the importance of health promotion and how it benefits your pregnancy and your baby. Our midwifery team will support you to birth with minimal medical intervention. WMCP aims to provide you with continuity of carer (COC). COC means you can know your midwife and can develop a trusting professional relationship, throughout your pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period.

Belmont Midwifery Group Practice (BMGP) provides midwife-led continuity of care for well and healthy women. Women who live within a 35 minute drive from John Hunter hospital have the opportunity to have a known midwife and to birth either at home or in a stand-alone birth centre at Belmont Hospital.

Our MGP program offers you one midwife (who works in a team) who will care for you through your pregnancy, through your birth and at home for 2 weeks after your baby is born. Active labour, normal birth, breastfeeding and early discharge home from the Birthing Unit are important to us. You may benefit from Midwifery Group Practice if this is your first baby, you would like a vaginal birth after having a previous caesarean section, want to birth at home, or do not have a lot of support at home or in the community.

Northern NSW Local Health District supports the choice of planned, midwife attended home birth as a safe choice for women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Our home birth program is an extension of our hospital midwifery group practice (MGP) service. A small group of midwives care for you during your pregnancy, labour, birth and for the first few weeks after your baby is born. Most of your care is by one midwife, called a primary midwife.

Central Coast Midwifery Group Practice (CCMGP) offers safe, publicly-funded homebirth to women on the Central Coast. Homebirth is an extension of CCMGP birthplace choices, ensuring continuity of care throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey is provided in the comfort of your home.

Victoria

Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital offers a publicly funded homebirth maternity care option for women and birthing people that meet the eligibility criteria. The option for homebirth is an extension to the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) caseload midwifery program. MGP works within a collaborative framework to provide safe and sustainable maternity care options. MGP enables each person’s maternity care to be seamless experience, you are cared for by the same midwife (primary midwife) throughout your pregnancy, during birth and in the early weeks at home with a new baby. This primary midwife works with a midwifery partner and within a small group of midwives.

We now offer a publicly funded Homebirth Program through the Caseload Model of Care for women that meet the eligibility criteria. If you’re in good health, your pregnancy is going smoothly, and you’re thinking about having your baby in a location close to the Women’s, homebirth may be an option for you. One main midwife, along with backup midwives, will care for you during your pregnancy, labour, birth, and after your baby is born. We have a limited number of homebirth spots each month. If you are interested in birthing at home, speak with your caseload midwife.

The Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) model of care has been running successfully at Barwon Health for over fifteen years. In MGP expectant families meet mostly with one midwife (with the back-up support of their practice partner, small team, midwifery staff and medical teams). In MGP, your Primary Midwife provides clinical and emotional care throughout your pregnancy, labour/birth and early postpartum period. For women who are deemed ‘low risk’ of developing pregnancy or birth related complications, the option of birthing in their home may be available to them. The Primary Midwives work in both the home and hospital environments and have good working relationships with the medical teams. These things mean the program is well-integrated into the hospital, making homebirth a safe option and ensuring a smooth transition of care into the hospital if it is required.

South Australia

Southern Midwifery Group Practice is an antenatal model of care designed at low risk women who do not have any medical or complicating obstetric history.

MGP enables women to be cared for by the same midwife (primary midwife) supported by a small group of midwives throughout their pregnancy, during childbirth and in the early weeks at home with a new baby. Midwifery care focuses on women's individual needs, or 'woman-centred care'.This may occur at home, Birthing Centre or Delivery Suite.

Lyell McEwin Hospital | Northern Adelaide Local Health Network. To enquire about homebirth through MGP, contact Lyell McEwin Hospital on 81829000 and ask to speak to a Midwife from NAMGP.

Northern Territory
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The midwifery group practice (MGP) is a group of midwives who provide care for women with normal risk pregnancies planning to have a homebirth in the Darwin and Palmerston area. In the MGP, you will have most of your pregnancy, birth and postnatal care provided by a small team of midwives.

The midwifery group practice is for women who would like to give birth in their own home or at the Alice Springs Hospital. The midwifery group practice lets you choose between having clinic or home antenatal visits and birthing at home or in the hospital. You will see the same group of midwives for the duration of your care and for 6 weeks after birth. There is a phone service available 24 hours a day, where you can talk to a midwife and get assessed over the phone.

Western Australia

The Community Midwifery Program (CMP) is a model of care available to Perth women experiencing a low risk pregnancy, including those who wish to birth at home, and who reside within a designated catchment area. The CMP philosophy is to protect and support natural birth and to provide clients with evidence based, holistic care from known midwives throughout the continuum of pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period.

MGP - care by a known midwife – is available to women living within 30km of Bunbury Hospital that are less than 32 weeks pregnant. Homebirth is an option available to eligible women in MGP

Queensland

Homebirth is available to eligible women as part of MGP. The Sunshine Coast University Hospital has access to a Midwifery Group Practice. This means that you will have a primary midwife who knows your individual care needs and preferences and will be with you throughout your pregnancy. Your midwife is supported by a small team of midwives who will support you through your pregnancy, labour, and then birth. They also provide after birth care at home for up to 6 weeks after your baby is born. If complications develop during your pregnancy, your midwife will connect with an obstetrician who knows your pregnancy and will talk you through your options. MGP care has limited spaces available.

Australian Capital Territory

A publicly funded Homebirth Service is available through the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children’s continuity midwifery program. This service now gives women in the ACT an option to birth in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. The service is available to women who meet the eligibility criteria. This service is offered by Centenary Hospital for Women and Children in Garran to eligible women.