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Antenatal and Maternity

Conditions

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.

  • Suspected or proven ectopic pregnancy
  • Heavy bleeding/severe pain (haemodynamically unstable) +/- fever (suspicion of sepsis)
  • Threatened or incomplete miscarriage if haemodynamically unstable
  • Intractable vomiting

  • Heavy bleeding/severe pain (haemodynamically unstable) +/- fever (suspicion of sepsis)
  • Threatened or incomplete miscarriage
  • Threatened preterm labour
  • Pre-term rupture of membranes
  • Evidence of cervical incompetence
  • Intractable vomiting
  • Hypertension equal to or greater than 140/90 mm Hg
  • Severe headaches or visual disturbances
  • Suspected pre-eclampsia presenting with hypertension systolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 140mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure equal to or greater than 90 mmHg
  • one or more of the following organ/system features related to the mother and/or fetus:
    • Renal
      • Random urine protein to creatinine ratio greater than equal to 30mg/mmol from an uncontaminated specimen (proteinuria)
      • Serum or plasma creatinine greater than or equal to 90 micromol/L or
      • Oliguria (less than 80 mL/4hours or 500 mL/24 hours)
    • Haematological
      • Thrombocytopenia (platelets under 150 x 109/L)
      • Haemolysis (schistocytes or red call fragments on blood film, raised bilirubin, raised lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), decreased haptoglobin)
      • Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
    • Liver
      • New onset of raised transaminases (over 40 IU/L) with or without epigastric or right upper quadrant pain
    • Neurological
      • Headache
      • Persistent visual disturbances (photopsia, scotomata, cortical blindness, retinal vasospasm)
      • Hyperreflexia with sustained clonus
      • Convulsions (eclampsia)
      • Stroke
    • Pulmonary
      • Pulmonary oedema
    • Uteroplacement
      • Fetal growth restriction (FGR)
      • Suspected fetal compromise
      • Abnormal umbilical artery Doppler wave form analysis
      • Stillbirth
  • If gestational age is 23-32 weeks or fetal weight is less than 1500grams then contact local service as referral for emergency treatment may be directed to a level 6 maternity service for obstetric assessment
  • Seizures or unexplained syncope
  • Acute mental health concern needing to be seen by acute mental health service or psychiatric emergency centre.
  • Abdominal trauma – GP check with maternity booking hospital level of care required
  • Any concern regarding fetal growth required confirmation with ultrasound (if available) and referral to maternity service as indicated.
  • Change in fetal movement pattern
  • Suspected or confirmed fetal death in utero
  • Any other significant concern

  • Diabetic ketoacidosis
  • Diabetes and severe vomiting
  • Acute severe hyperglycaemia
  • Acute severe hypoglycaemia

Specialists list

Last updated: January 2025
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