Birthing among 'flies and trucks' becoming more common in parts of NSW

Birthing among flies and trucks is becoming more common in parts of New South Wales (NSW), according to recent reports. Since 2001, the rate of babies being born before arriving at the hospital has more than doubled in regional NSW areas. The NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park, attributes this increase to the closure or understaffing of birthing services, which forces women to travel further to give birth.

Shara Kimpton experienced this firsthand when she gave birth to her third child five weeks early in 2023. She and her mother were in a rest area on the Sturt Highway in the Riverina region when the baby was born. Kimpton stated that the experience was chaotic, with flies and trucks passing by. This scenario is becoming more common, with rates of premature births in regional areas more than tripling in outer regional and remote locations.

Perinatal social worker and regional maternity advocate Jen Laurie has observed many "roadside births" where women give birth at rest stops or toilet blocks. She has spoken to numerous women about their birthing experiences and is advocating for the NSW Government to take action. Park has committed to hiring more midwives and introducing more homebirth options, but cautions that this is still a small percentage of all births.

Kimpton expressed frustration with the lack of prenatal care and options for her fourth pregnancy. She had to give birth at home after being told to return only halfway through her pregnancy. Laurie believes the increase in premature births is due to the reduction and centralization of birthing services in regional areas. Multiple maternity units have closed or been suspended under both Labor and Coalition governments over the past few decades.

Park acknowledges the changes in the midwifery model and the focus on safety, but believes the challenges lie in providing round-the-clock services and attracting enough staff. He has expanded homebirth and midwifery group practices, filling more than 300 new midwifery places since 2023. However, he emphasizes that more work needs to be done, and a statewide maternity service plan is due at the end of the year.