‘Tip of the iceberg’: Doctor shortage blamed for rural maternity crisis

Pregnant women in a Queensland town are travelling more than 100km once they go into labour
Dr Sandy Donald. Photo: Together Queensland/Facebook

Doctors are warning of potentially avoidable deaths as a growing number of maternity units divert pregnant women to different hospitals.

Gladstone Hospital in central Queensland has been on ‘birthing bypass’ for more than six months, limiting births at the hospital to planned caesareans.