Paula Medway

Senior Midwifery Advisor, SA

State or Territory:

  • South Australia

Primary position including institution/organisation:

  • Senior Midwifery Advisor, Nursing and Midwifery Office, SA Health

About Paula Medway:

  • Paula is a midwife, a registered nurse and a lactation consultant. She has worked across the length and breadth of midwifery practice in all kinds of models of care in both South Australia and the Northern Territory.
  • Her current role is as the Senior Midwifery Advisor in the South Australian Government where she enjoys the opportunity to contribute to the midwifery profession and maternity care with the bigger picture in perspective.

Why does preventing early birth matter to you?

“A healthy start to life is a known social determinant of health. The rising preterm birth rate in Australia is therefore an important public health issue. Seeking to prevent preterm births is all about giving babies the best start in life that they can and minimising the risk of ongoing health problems across the lifespan.”

“High quality evidence demonstrates that women have a lower risk of preterm birth when they receive care during pregnancy from a known midwife. As the midwife member on the Alliance I am pleased to be able to advocate for midwifery models of care as a key strategy to prevent preterm birth in Australia.”

The Australian Preterm Birth Prevention Alliance is working to safely lower the rate of early birth across Australia.