Being a mother to six boys, with one of her children born prematurely at 29 weeks, prompted Noongar woman Valerie Ah Chee to become a midwife at the age of 45.
Inspired to improve perinatal and infant mortality outcomes within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, Ms Ah Chee is now using her midwifery experience as a Mater Researcher within the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence.
“According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australia’s Mothers and Babies report in 2020, Indigenous stillbirth is at 11.9 per cent while non-Indigenous stillbirth sits at 7.4 per cent,” she said.
“To recognise why that is and to try to develop and adjust programs to improve prevention strategies and outcomes is vital.”
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month (October 2023) is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of maternal health education and support among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Focusing on Aboriginal maternal and infant health, Ms Ah Chee is working with her team to embed cultural safety in the pregnancy and birth space, to improve the health of Aboriginal women and their babies from a cultural perspective.
The Indigenous team at the Stillbirth Centre of Research Excellence worked with the Indigenous community to adapt core elements of the successful Safer Baby Bundle (SBB), embedding Indigenous people’s own way of knowing, being and doing.
The national initiative has five evidence-based elements addressing areas where improved practice in women can reduce the number of stillborn babies.
- Quit smoking
- Regularly monitor your baby’s growth
- Feel for regular movements (every day from 28 weeks into your pregnancy journey)
- Sleep on your side (from 28 weeks of pregnancy)
- Discuss birth timing with healthcare professionals
Expanding on this initiative, Ms Ah Chee is now developing resources to educate and support non-Indigenous healthcare professionals who work with Indigenous women in this space.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done yet we can start with educating those who are working to support Indigenous women on how to provide care in a more culturally relevant, responsive and safe way,” Ms Ah Chee said.
“Sadly, sometimes stillbirths can’t be explained but again, we can raise awareness and educate women about steps they can take to reduce their risks.”
You can find more information about the Safebaby program here.
