A leading West Moreton Health obstetrics specialist is pursuing better outcomes for pregnant women and their babies and lowering the risk of stillbirth.
Associate Professor Kassam Mahomed, who practices at Ipswich Hospital and has worked in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology for 40 years, has now written a book for fellow clinicians titled Common Problems in Pregnancy: An Evidence-Based Guide, produced by Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Dr Mahomed joined Ipswich Hospital in 2005 and splits his clinical time between supporting women in labour and providing antenatal care for women experiencing high-risk pregnancy.
Every pregnancy and birthing experience is unique, and Dr Mahomed said he felt connected to each one.
"I cry with joy, I cry with sadness. Whether the outcome is good or bad, you feel it," Dr Mahomed said.
Key areas of interest to Dr Mahomed are lowering the risk of stillbirth, liver impairments to the mother in later trimesters, and managing pregnancies involving twins. He is also interested in the care of women who are concerned about their baby's growth in the womb and its movements.
Dr Mahomed mentors medical and midwifery colleagues to ensure every woman who births at Ipswich Hospital has access to quality, evidence-based care.
"I’m passionate about using evidence-based management to provide the best possible care," Dr Mahomed said.
"The motivation is simple – to reduce bad outcomes for pregnant women and give babies the best possible start to life."
His book offers a concise summary of up to 70 pregnancy risks and problems to guide clinicians, undergraduate and postgraduate students in the day-to-day management of issues.
"What I find satisfying is when I see consistency among clinicians in how we all manage problems in pregnancy and respond to situations or intervene based on best available evidence that will lead to better outcomes."
Dr Mahomed said that although there are excellent outcomes during the birthing process in Queensland and Australia, the focus was now on reducing the instances of antenatal stillbirths.
This is through The Safer Baby Bundle initiative, launched in 2020, which outlines evidence-based information for clinicians to address five key areas where improved practice can reduce the risk of stillbirths. The Clinical Excellence Queensland initiative is aimed at reducing the number of preventable stillbirths that occur after 28 weeks’ gestation by 20 per cent by 2023.
West Moreton Health's Chief Medical Officer, Associate Professor Deepak Doshi, acknowledged Dr Mahomed's significant contribution to caring for West Moreton women at a significant time in their life.
"By championing the evidence-based management and care of pregnant women, Kassam is working to make sure women across Queensland can access the best standard in care no matter where they live," Dr Doshi said.
"That means better outcomes for women and their babies – a precious result of Kassam’s absolute passion and dedication."