Fiona Stanley Hospital will provide women located south of the river access to midwifery-led care at its new family birthing centre.

Set to open in September, it’s the first family birthing facility for south-of-the-river residents. There is already a facility at King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Birthing suites have been designed with research-approved birth-promoting shapes, colours and physical surrounds to help expectant mothers relax during their stay.

Fiona Stanley Hospital clinical midwife Emily Mignacca said she was one of many midwives at the hospital set to start intensive training to prepare for the facility and its new features.

“Midwives at Fiona Stanley will work on a rotational basis into and out of the family birthing centre from our regular maternity service,” she said.

“Our aim is to provide expectant mothers with a home-like environment, that also allows partners and children to have the option available to be involved in the birthing process.”

Miss Mignacca said a south-of-the-river family birthing centre was long overdue.

“At the moment, the only place women can go and birth besides a standard hospital is at King Edward, which eliminates a variety of women south of the river and the eastern corridor,” she said.

Health Minister Roger Cook, who announced the official opening date of the family birthing centre last Sunday, also noted the importance of the facility.

“Having a sister birth centre at Fiona Stanley means that women living in our southern suburbs will soon be able to access this model of care much closer to where they live,” he said.

Click here to find out more information on the family birthing centre.