Postnatal care

Emergency

If any of the following are suspected, seek emergency medical advice or refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary)

  • Abdominal, pelvic or perineal pain, fever, shivering, or vaginal discharge with an unpleasant smell
  • Chest pain
  • Deteriorating mental state, including suicidality, thoughts of harm to baby or psychosis
  • Disclosure of domestic and/or family violence
  • Eclampsia
  • Leg swelling and tenderness, or shortness of breath
  • Mastitis
  • Persistent or increased vaginal bleeding
  • Persistent or severe headache
  • Secondary postpartum haemorrhage
  • Sepsis
  • Sudden or very heavy vaginal bleeding
  • Thromboembolism
  • Wound infection from lower uterine segment caesarean section or perineal post-birth

When public outpatient services are not routinely provided

Criteria to access public outpatient services

CategoryCriteria
Category 1
Recommended to be seen within 14 calendar days.
  • Ongoing perineal discomfort not resolved with simple analgesia
  • Ongoing perineal or caesarean section wound issues
Category 2
Recommended to be seen within 30 calendar days.
  • Follow-up of perinatal loss (i.e. stillbirth, neonatal death including 2nd and 3rd trimester termination of pregnancy where not previously arranged)
  • Follow-up of pre-term birth (where not previously arranged)
  • Review of 3rd or 4th degree perineal tear within 3 months post-partum (where not previously arranged)

Category 3
Recommended to be seen within 90 calendar days.

Birth experience debriefing following discharge from maternity services.

Information to include within a referral

Required

  • Reason for referral
  • Provisional diagnosis
  • Patient health summary (such as relevant medical history, relevant investigations, current medications and dosages, immunisations, allergies and/or adverse reactions)

If available

  • Nil

Important information for referring health professionals

If there is a change to a patient’s condition while waiting for their appointment, referring health professionals may further investigate and manage the situation, or send an updated referral to the outpatient service. Where there are significant concerns about a patient's condition, referring health professionals may check HealthPathways for urgent/same day advice or contact the relevant clinical team.

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Additional maternity services

Current as at: Monday 30 March 2026
Contact page owner: System Purchasing