It was only a few days ago that the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) organised an open recruitment day for experienced nurses and midwives.

And now, the HMC’s Women’s Wellness and Research Centre (WWRC) has brought out a new project that will help new mothers, who delivered babies through complicated pregnancy, to receive services of midwives at their.

The Postnatal Midwifery Homecare Programme, which is a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, is run by a team of qualified midwives, according to a report in Gulf Times.

To begin with , the services will be available only to new mothers who underwent high-risk pregnancies or caesarian deliveries and require extra care. 

The experienced midwives will give both mothers and their newborns check-ups, education, and support during the early postnatal period.

At least one in three women at the WWRC deliver babies by Caesarian section and there are always a large number of women at risk of complicated pregnancies, according to The Peninsula.

Haila Johar, Executive Director of Nursing at the WWRC, said it was an important service they are offering.

“We’re so proud to be piloting this postnatal midwifery home care program. By visiting women in their homes shortly after childbirth, HMC’s community midwife team will be able to help identify and prevent many common maternal and newborn health issues and will play an important role in enabling women to make informed decisions about when and where they access care,” she was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

The programme also aims to prevent, or at least decrease, unnecessary visits by mother and baby to the WWRC.

Research has shown that up to 25% of women who delivered by caesarian section will visit the Emergency Department after her baby is born for a related non-urgent medical issue.

The midwives, during their visits, will look out for any health issues to the mother and baby, which may need further attention. They will also advise the mother whether any follow-up check ups are necessary.

At the moment, the programme is only available to women who give birth at the WWRC, live in Doha, and have had a high-risk pregnancy or caesarian delivery and require wound care.

A team of six to eight midwives will conduct 12 to 14 home visits a month.

Women will be referred to the postnatal midwifery home care team by their discharging physician and their first home visit will be scheduled within 48 to 72 hours of their delivery.

Subsequent follow-up visits will be scheduled as needed.

The programme is expected to eventually be expanded to all HMC maternity facilities.