Shared antenatal care in Brisbane

The prevalence of antenatal care shared between general practitioner (GP) and public hospital services in Brisbane, and its acceptability to patients was assessed. Responses to questionnaires put to women in the immediate puerperium of the public wards of 2 major teaching hospitals are presented. Antenatal shared-care was undertaken in 54% of pregnancies. Indications of advantages for women to undergo antenatal shared-care were identified with convenience of appointment time, and decreased travel and waiting time. An important cooperation between GP and hospital obstetric services appears to have evolved in the area of antenatal care that provide benefits at least for patients' convenience.