Email address for GP enquiries at RHW: SESLHD-RHWGPSCEnquiries@health.nsw.gov.au
GP Liaison Midwives: Chantelle du Boisee Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday AND
Hwee Ling Lim Thursday and Friday. Contact the midwives for non-urgent clinical advice on 0417 995 153 between 8:00am-4:30pm, if no answer, please leave a voicemail or text message.
If you need to speak directly to the Obstetric doctors, please call ph.9382 6111 and ask the operator to page the on-call Obstetric Registrar for ANSC.
The Obstetric Medicine Physician Registrar can be contacted for advice Monday-Friday during business hours by calling 9382 6111. Advise the operator to page the Registrar.
For more urgent 7 day /24hr advice, contact the Birth Unit on 0439 869 035 or 9382 6100 (from 20 weeks pregnancy).
The Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) has noted some confusion when GP’s have been completing the selection of clinicians for RHW Antenatal Outpatient Service via e-referrals. To streamline and assist you with this process, RHW would like to provide a list below of all clinicians as they appear in the e-referral dropdown in HealthLink (in the order they appear for you as the referrer), along with their respective speciality at RHW:
| Dr Madeleine Sheppard | Postnatal – Obstetrical Anal Sphincter Injuries Service (OASIS) |
| Dr Alex Owen | Staff Specialist Obstetrician |
| Dr Sarah Lyons | Staff Specialist Obstetrician/ Pre-term Birth |
| Dr Antonia Shand | Maternal Fetal Medicine/High Risk Pregnancy |
| Dr Louise Fay | Antenatal Shared Care (ANSC) Obstetrician |
| Dr Willem Gheysen | Maternal Fetal Medicine/High Risk Pregnancy |
| Dr Wendy Hawke | VMO Obstetrician |
| Professor Sandra Lowe | Obstetric Medicine |
| Dr Giselle Kidson-Gerber | Haematologist |
| Dr Helen Barrett | Obstetric Medicine |
| Dr Amanda Beech | Obstetric Medicine |
| Dr Sarah Livingstone | Staff Specialist Obstetrician |
| Dr Stephen Coogan | Antenatal Shared Care (ANSC) Obstetrician |
| Specialist – unnamed referral | Please do NOT use this going forward if aware of sub-speciality requirement for your antenatal patient. |
When referring women for ANSC pregnancy care at RHW, patients are typically assigned either to:
If the patient prefers MGP and there is available capacity, please continue to refer to either ANSC obstetrician. Once the referral is received, RHW will assign an appropriate MGP obstetrician internally.
We thank you for your ongoing engagement with the eReferral process. Your commitment to using this system plays a vital role in enhancing communication, streamlining patient care, and improving overall service delivery. Your support is appreciated, and we look forward to continuing to work together to provide timely, coordinated care for our antenatal patients. RHW ANSC Practitioners Flyer
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as hyperglycemia, diagnosed for the first time in pregnancy, but below the threshold for overt diabetes in pregnancy. Hyperglycemia in pregnancy increases the risk of adverse maternal pregnancy outcomes (pre-eclampsia, high infant birth weight, obstetric intervention) and perinatal outcomes (neonatal hypoglycemia, respiratory distress, NICU admission and jaundice).
The Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS) recently updated the guidelines for screening and diagnosis of hyperglycemia in pregnancy in response to concerns around over-diagnosis, and variable benefit for lower-risk women, and recognising changes in contemporary guidelines and major trials.
What has changed?
New diagnostic criteria for GDM using the POGTT at any gestation
o fasting plasma glucose (FPG) 5.3–6.9 mmol/L
o 1-hour ≥ 10.6 mmol/L
o 2-hour ≥ 9.0–11.0 mmol/L
Clarification of the diagnostic criteria for Overt Diabetes in Pregnancy
o fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L
o 2-hour ≥ 11.1 mmol/L
o HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (48 mmol/mol)
Women with risk factors for hyperglycemia in pregnancy should have an HbA1c measured in the first trimester
o The risk factors remain unchanged from those used previously
o Fasting plasma glucose levels should NOT be measured in the first trimester
o If HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (48 mmol/mol), treat as overt diabetes and refer for diabetes education
o If HbA1c 6.0-6.4% (42-47mmol/L), treat as GDM and refer for diabetes education
In women with risk factors who did not have an HbA1c in the first trimester, a POGTT should be undertaken before 20 weeks, ideally at 10-14 weeks, using the new diagnostic criteria for diagnosis
There is no change to the recommendation to attend universal POGTT screening between 24-28 weeks gestation for all other women. For primary caregivers, changing to the new criteria and targeting early diagnosis with an HbA1c/POGTT will ideally be straightforward, but the cultural shift and clear, empathic conversation about the risk, benefit and rational for fewer diagnoses is just as important.
If you have any questions, contact the RHW Diabetes Education Team on SESLHD-RoyalHospitalforWomenDiabetesServices@health.nsw.gov
It is the responsibility of all ANSC General Practitioners (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 here:
Royal Hospital for Women Policies | South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Please advise and refer to the Cross-Cultural Worker at RHW, for women from CALD backgrounds.
Please see directory here
Please see flyer for Cross Cultural training for baby and infant CPR here
To support best practice in antenatal care, please see the following update on SFH assessments and referral guidelines.
SFH Assessments from 24 Weeks
All pregnant women should have their Symphyseal Fundal Height (SFH) measured at each antenatal visit from 24 weeks gestation. SFH assessment is a key tool in identifying abnormal fetal growth.
Watch a short video demonstration on SFH technique available from the Centre of Research Excellence in Stillbirth. https://vimeo.com/363966677?share=copy
When to Refer for a Growth Ultrasound:
Refer to the RHW Ultrasound Department or a specialised Obstetric Scanning service.
Following the scan, review results promptly and refer to the obstetric team if clinically indicated.
For Further Information:
Refer to the RHW Clinical Guidelines on Fetal Growth Assessment in Pregnancy
The PTBPC provides specialist care for women at increased risk of early birth. Timely referral and accurate clinical information are essential to ensure appropriate triage and early intervention.
Important Reminder: A recent audit of electronic referrals (eReferrals) has identified instances where women with a history of cervical procedures—such as cone biopsy or LLETZ—did not have this information documented in the referral details section of the eReferral.
Accurate and complete documentation of relevant clinical history is essential to ensure appropriate triage and management. We kindly remind all referring clinicians to include any history of cervical procedures in the referral narrative, where applicable.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your ongoing commitment to high-quality patient care.
Who Should Be Referred to the PTBPC
Women with any of these risk factors should have a TV cervical length measurement at their mid trimester morphology ultrasound.
Please contact the PTBPC Midwife Vicky Gay- email victoria.gay@health.nsw.gov.au to discuss all referrals and arrange a review.
Update here
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.
More information here
Health Referral Forms
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