Hundreds of kilometres from the nearest maternity service, mothers in these remote communities are still getting top-notch care.
After immigrating from the United States with her young family, the 42-year-old spent her third pregnancy living in the remote fishing village of Karumba, in Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria.
"I was worried because I had no idea about the Australian health system, but I saw other mums who have given birth live in Karumba and led a normal life, so I thought if they can do it, I can do it." In addition to 3D and 4D ultrasounds, they offer a suite of gynaecological services from cervical biopsies, to PCOS and endometriosis scanning — most of which are not locally available — at no cost to the local women.Born and bred in the small New South Wales country town of Inverell, Dr O'Brien understands what it's like to live in regional Australia.
"Just because women live remotely, or on a station looking after cattle or sheep that we all reap the benefits of, why do they get less care? "They came during the wet season and the road was cut so we had no access, and I needed to do my first ultrasound. Although the island community, located off the coast of Townsville, is equipped with a 2D scanning machine, and mothers have access to antenatal and postnatal midwifery services, more complex technology that can assist in identifying fetal issues in early-stage pregnancy is not available.Ms Oui says being able to access Dr O'Brien and her team with their mobile high-tech ultrasounds provided reassurance.
Pregnant Women Remote Areas Obstetrician Ultrasound Pregnancy Giving Birth Babies Maternity Antenatal Perinatal Prenatal Ultrasounds Expectant Mothers Childbirth Obsetricts Gynaecology
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