Pre-Conception Care
Emergency department referrals
All urgent cases must be discussed with the on call Registrar to obtain appropriate prioritisation and treatment. Contact through:
- Caboolture Hospital (07) 5433 8888
- Redcliffe Hospital (07) 3883 7777
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (07) 3646 8111
Urgent cases accepted via phone must be accompanied with a written referral and a copy faxed immediately to the Central Patient Intake Unit: 1300 364 952.
If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.
Does your patient wish to be referred?
Minimum referral criteria
Does your patient meet the minimum referral criteria?
Category 1
Appointment within 30 days is desirable
- No category 1 criteria
Category 2
Appointment within 90 days is desirable
- Significant medical, genetic, psychological illness that impacts pre-conception, gestation or birth
NB: This does not involve artificial reproductive technologies
Category 3
Appointment within 365 days is desirable
- No Category 3 criteria
If your patient does not meet the minimum referral criteria
Consider other treatment pathways or an alternative diagnosis.
If you still need to refer your patient:
- Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
- Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service
Other important information for referring practitioners
Not an exhaustive list
- Refer to HealthPathways for assessment and management information if available.
- Ideal to have current good contraception while awaiting optimisation (as relevant).
- If no pre-conception service is available, the referral maybe seen by another service.
- Recognition of sexual orientation i.e. Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB)
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
History and Examination
- BMI
- BP
- Past Obstetric history (if known) – for each pregnancy, please provide details of outcome:
- Date of birth, gestation, mode of birth, birth weight, place of birth
- Any pregnancy complications e.g. GDM (Gestational Diabetes Mellitus), fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, APH (antepartum haemorrhage)
- Any birth complications e.g. PPH (Postpartum Haemorrhage), preterm birth, stillbirth, pre-existing birth trauma
- Previous neonatal admission to SCN/NICU and reason
- Miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Termination of pregnancy
- Gynaecology history
- Uterine anomalies
- PCOS
- Endometriosis
- Recurrent miscarriage
- Summary of relevant medical, oncology, surgical and psychosocial history including details of any risk factors/co-morbidities (e.g. cardiac, renal or liver disease, diabetes, hypertension, venous thromboembolism, autoimmune disease, asthma, epilepsy, obesity, bariatric surgery, eating disorders, mental health concerns, etc)
- Current medications including psychotropic drugs such as Sodium Valproate, Lithium and other medication with recognised fetal implications
- Indigenous status, Ethnicity and language spoken (identify if interpreter is required)
- Drug, alcohol, and smoking history
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
History and Examination
- Full detail history of current medical history and conception history
- Refugee status
- Social history including domestic violence, living situation
- Identification of intellectual capacity (where appropriate)
- Recognition of sexual orientation i.e. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB)
- Environmental exposure
Pathology and Test Results
- Carrier screening and Genetic screening
-
- couples who are at an increased risk of having children with a genetic condition after genetic carrier screening or who are at an increased risk of having children with a genetic condition because of a personal and/or any family history (blood relatives) should also be referred to Genetics
- History Specific bloods
- Include pathology relevant to any medical history i.e. known cardiac, renal or liver disease
Imaging and reports
- Include imaging relevant to any medical history i.e. known cardiac, renal or liver disease
Out of catchment
Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
- Impact on employment
- Impact on education
- Impact on home
- Impact on activities of daily living
- Impact on ability to care for others
- Impact on personal frailty or safety
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- To establish a diagnosis
- For treatment or intervention
- For advice and management
- For specialist to take over management
- Reassurance for GP/second opinion
- For a specified test/investigation the GP can’t order, or the patient can’t afford or access
- Reassurance for the patient/family
- For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary
- Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
- Physical findings
- Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
- Current medications and dosages
- Drug allergies
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use
- Full name (including aliases)
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
- Medicare number (where eligible)
- Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
- Preferred language and interpreter requirements
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – telephone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
- Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
- Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)
Specialists list
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Medical Objects ID: MQ40290004P
HealthLink EDI: qldmnhhs
Mail:
Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org
Locations
- Caboolture Hospital
- Redcliffe Hospital
- Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Resources
Clinical resources
- RACGP: Preconception Care 2018
- RANZCOG: Genetic Carrier Screening
- RANZCOG: Pre-pregnancy Counselling Guideline Review 2020
- AJGP Interconception Care
- RACGP Genomics in general practice
- Genetic carrier screening
- Maternity and Neonatal Clinical Guidelines | Queensland Clinical Guidelines | Queensland Health | Queensland Health
- Genetic carrier screening ‘Beware the Rare’