ANSC December 2025 Update: Royal Hospital for Women

Contacts

GP enquiries:

SESLHD-RHWGPSCEnquiries@health.nsw.gov.au 

ANSC midwives:

Hwee Ling Lim: Available Monday – Tuesday and Thursday – Friday 

Chantelle du Boisee: Currently on secondment to MAPS until end of February 2026

For non-urgent clinical advice:

Phone: 0417 995 153 (8.00 AM – 4.30 PM) 
Please leave a voicemail or text message if there isn’t an answer.

Obstetric doctors:

Phone: 9382 6111 
Ask the operator to page the on-call obstetric registrar for ANSC. 

Obstetric medicine physician registrar:

Phone: 9382 6111

Monday – Friday (9.00 AM – 5.00 PM) 

Ask operator to page the registrar. 

Birth unit:

Phone: 0439 869 035 or 9382 6100 
for 24/7 urgent advice from 20 weeks pregnancy.

Welcome Our New ANSC Obstetrician: Dr Sara Ooi 

We are pleased to introduce Dr Sara Ooi, who has joined the antenatal shared care obstetric team. 

Referral Pathways: RHW Antenatal Service 

When referring patients for ANSC, women are typically allocated to: 

Dr Louise Fay 

Dr Stephen Coogan 

Dr Sara Ooi 

Midwifery group practice (MGP): 

If a patient prefers MGP and capacity is available, please continue to refer to an ANSC obstetrician. 
Once the referral is received, RHW will allocate an appropriate MGP obstetrician internally. 

Clinical business rules (CBRs): RHW guidance for GPs 

It is the responsibility of all ANSC GPs to utilise and adhere to the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) Clinical Business Rules (CBRs) to ensure safe patient care and evidence-based clinical decision-making.  

Access all the RHW CBR’s: Royal Hospital for Women Policies | South Eastern Sydney Local Health District 

Evidence-based antenatal care resource for GPs 

The Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines are a nationally endorsed set of evidence-based recommendations for pregnancy care in Australia. Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines 

Routine early pregnancy investigations 

Standard tests: FBC, Blood Group & Antibody Screen, Rubella IgG, Hepatitis B surface antigen, Hepatitis C antibody, Syphilis serology (at booking and again at 26–28 weeks), HIV, MSU (midstream urine). 

Consider if clinically indicated: Ferritin (high risk of iron deficiency), CST (if due), Chlamydia (if <30 years or based on risk), TSH+T4, HbEPG, Chlamydia PCR, Gonorrhoea PCR,  HbA1c (women with risk factors < 13 weeks gestation), Early GTT for women with risk factors and a normal HbA1c.

Additional counselling: Dating ultrasound scan, 11- 14 weeks screening, combined first trimester screening (Maternal blood serum+ Nuchal translucency ultrasound) OR NIPT +structural ultrasound.   

As part of the National Preterm Birth Prevention Collaborative, all pregnant women attending antenatal care within SESLHD have:  

• Cervical length measured at mid –term morphology ultrasound 

• Transvaginal ultrasound is required when: 

• A history of previous pre-term birth exists, or  

• Where it is not possible to obtain a satisfactory transabdominal view of cervical length, or  

• Cervical length is <35mm on transabdominal imaging  
  

Haemoglobinopathy screening in pregnancy:  

Perform haemoglobinopathy screening during the early routine antenatal blood tests (including FBC, haemoglobinopathy screen, and iron studies). Ensure ethnicity is documented on the request form. This screening should be done if not performed previously, if prior results are unavailable, or if the patient has any of the following risk factors: 

• High risk ethnicity: Central and Southeast Asian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, African descent, Pacific Islander or New Zealand Maori, Central/South American, Brazilian 

• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)<80fL or mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) <27pg 

• Known haemoglobinopathy carrier, family history of haemoglobinopathy in woman, biological father or gametes donor’s family
   

If abnormalities are identified or for further management refer to the clinical business rule: RHWCLIN080IronDeficiencyAnaemiaandHaemoglobinopathiesinPregnancy.pdf 

Screening for thyroid disorders in pregnancy

Universal thyroid screening in pregnancy is not recommended. Instead, targeted screening should be performed in pregnant woman with the following below listed risk factors:

• History of past thyroid disease 

• Known thyroid antibody positivity    

• Age > 30 years  

• BMI >40  

• Personal or family history of autoimmune disease e.g. T1 diabetes mellitus, coeliac disease   

• Presence of goitre     

• Residing in an area of known iodine insufficiency   

• Use of medications that can affect thyroid function e.g. lithium, amiodarone  

• History of infertility, pregnancy loss or neck irradiation 
  

For management of abnormal results or further information on Thyroid disease in Pregnancy refer to the RHW Thyroid disease in pregnancy CBR.  

Eating disorder support for GPs 

Suspect your patient has an eating disorder or needing to navigate eating disorder care options in South Eastern Sydney Local Health District?

GPs have access to a local Eating Disorder Coordinator, who supports the health district with establishing and improving clinical pathways for eating disorder care. Jo Williams is our current Eating Disorder Coordinator, who is available to health professionals for consult regarding care options and pathways.

Phone: 0499 868 772 or email: Joanna.Williams@health.nsw.gov.au

For more information about navigating care in SESLHD, see our eating disorders website: Eating Disorders | South Eastern Sydney Local Health District 

Looking for information to support you providing eating disorder care and management to your patients? The InsideOut Institute has launched the GP Hub and toolkit to support screening through to medical management and relapse prevention. Bookmark this page for on hand eating disorder information and resources: https://www.gp.insideoutinstitute.org.au/ 

Sustaining NSW Families (SNF) is an evidence-based intervention that will provide eligible families with a nurse led structured intensive home visiting program commencing in the antenatal period or in the early postnatal period and continuing until the child’s first or second birthday depending on need. 

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/MCFhealth/programs/Pages/sustained-home-visiting.aspx

The following criteria must be met: 

• Pregnant or have a newborn baby under 4 weeks of age 

• Edinburgh depression score of 10 or more (x2) 

• Available to English and Mandarin speaking families 

• Reside across SESLHD (previously only Sutherland and St George) 

• Require two level 2 vulnerabilities 
  

Exclusion criteria: 

• No active domestic violence 

• No active drug and alcohol 

• No acute mental health 

• No child protection or DCJ involvement. 

The goal is to enhance the health, safety, and general wellbeing of families. 

Sustaining NSW Families team includes:  

A clinical coordinator, child and family health nurses with specialist training, a social worker that meets all families, part-time allied health professionals who work as consultants to the team, including a speech pathologist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietitian and perinatal psychiatrist, an administration officer; all team members are employees of NSW Health.

To refer to Sustaining NSW Families please email: SESLHD-SustainingNSWFamilies@health.nsw.gov.au  

Clinician survey: Preparing women for labour and birth  

Help us improve how we prepare women for labour and birth.

We’re asking clinicians about the information women receive during pregnancy, your confidence in providing this support, and any barriers you face. Your insights will help enhance care at the Royal Hospital for Women.

The survey is anonymous; responses will be collected until 7 December 2025. 

Who should complete it? 

Any clinician providing pregnancy, labour, or birth education, GPs, midwives, obstetricians, SRMOs, registrars and fellows.

RHW birth unit tours and classes

The RHW antenatal education classes have been updated to align with current evidence and NSW Health policies and frameworks including First 2000 Days, Safe Start, Women-Centred Care, and the Safer Baby Bundle. The contemporary approach to education and facilitation is designed to keep couples interested and engaged with the content.  

Birth and Transitions to Parenthood is a 12-hour antenatal education course designed for expectant parents to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate pregnancy, labour, birth, and the early weeks of parenthood. Delivered by registered midwives trained in group facilitation, the course uses adult learning principles to ensure content is relevant, practical, and personalised to each family’s needs. 

Participants explore topics such as birth planning, labour stages, pain management options (medical and non-medical), newborn care, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, partner support, and early parenting. The course fosters a supportive, inclusive environment where couples can share experiences, reflect, and prepare together for their unique journey into parenthood. 

Course Format: 

• Weekend option: 2 consecutive Saturdays, 9:00 am–3:00 pm 

• Weekday option: 4 weekday evenings, 5:30 pm–8:00 pm 
  

Booking Note: 

Courses are in high demand; early bookings are encouraged.  

Royal Hospital for Women: Clinical placements 2026 

Obstetric clinical placements:

Where: Antenatal ward, level 4 

Time: 5:30 pm – 7:00pm 

Dates: Wednesday 18 February, 29 April, 17 June, 5 August, 14 October and 9 December.

Limit: 6 attendees 

Neonatal clinical placements:

Where: Newborn care, level 1 

Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM 

Dates: Tuesday 21 April and 13 October

Limit: 5 attendees 

Register: 

Antenatal shared care liaison midwives:

Chantelle Du Boisee: (Monday–Wednesday)
Hwee Ling Lim: (Thursday – Friday)

0417 995 153 | 02 9382 6016 

SESLHD-RHWGPSCEnquiries@health.nsw.gov.au 

Please Note: Placement dates and maximum attendee numbers may be subject to change.