Maternity Choices Australia Explained

Maternity Choices Australia, formerly the Maternity Coalition is an Australian advocacy group which aims to improve the provision of maternity services to parents. It consists of individuals as well as other non-government organisations.

Philosophy

The Maternity Coalition:

encourages a woman-centred approach to the birth process;
regard pregnancy and childbirth as normal physiological processes, not illnesses;
stresses the social, cultural and psychological factors influencing childbirth;
supports midwives as the primary caregivers for women in normal birth;
emphasises women's rights to make informed choices about their caregiver and place of birth;
promotes continuous assessment and critical evaluation of technologies used in maternity care;
supports the development of services sensitive to women's varied cultural and physical needs.

Its statement seeking political reform of maternity services is outlined in the National Maternity Action Plan which was prepared by The Maternity Coalition in 2002.