Birth centres
Birth centres are for women with low risk pregnancies and focus on natural birth. Most care is provided by midwives.
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Support and care in a birth centre
You may be able to have your baby in a birth centre if your local hospital offers this service and if your pregnancy is low risk.
Care in a birth centre is mostly provided by midwives with a focus on natural birth and minimal intervention. There are less options for pain relief. They're designed to feel more like a home environment and can offer more birthing options such as water births.
Getting to know your birth centre
If you're thinking of giving birth in a birth centre, call early in your pregnancy and ask about their services, facilities and any rules. For example, how many people can be with you at the birth, and whether children can go. Visiting or taking a virtual tour of the birth rooms will give you a better idea of what to expect.
Most birth centres are inside a major hospital, or in another building on hospital grounds. Medical care may be nearby if your birth doesn’t go to plan or if there’s an emergency.
Booking into a birth centre
Birth centres are often in high demand, so you’ll need to book in as early as possible. Your GP or midwife can give you a referral or you can fill in the self referral form.
Queensland has 7 public birth centres. These are free if you have a Medicare card.
- Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
- Gold Coast Hospital Birth Centre
- Mackay Birth Centre
- Toowoomba Base Hospital Birth Centre
- Townsville University Hospital Birth Centre
- Sunshine Coast University Hospital Birth Centre
- Cairns Birth Centre