Termination of pregnancy

Emergency

If any of the following are present or suspected, please refer the patient to the emergency department (via ambulance if necessary) or seek emergent medical advice if in a remote region.

  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Ruptured haemorrhagic ovarian cyst
  • Torsion of uterine appendages (ovarian)
  • Acute/severe pelvic pain
  • Significant or uncontrolled vaginal bleeding
  • Severe infection
  • Abscess intra pelvis or PID
  • Bartholin’s abscess / acute painful enlargement of a Bartholin’s gland/cyst
  • Acute trauma including vulva/vaginal lacerations, haematoma and/or penetrating injuries
  • Post-operative complications within 6 weeks including wound infection, wound breakdown, vaginal bleeding/discharge, retained products of conception post-op, abdominal pain
  • Urinary retention
  • Acute urinary obstruction
  • Unstable molar pregnancy
  • Inevitable and / or incomplete abortion
  • Hyperemesis gravidarum
  • Ascites, secondary to known underlying gynaecological oncology
Useful management information
  • Termination of pregnancy is a legal medical procedure in Queensland from 3 December 2018 (Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018).
  • A Registered medical practitioner may perform a lawful termination on a woman who is:
    • up to a gestational limit of 22+0 weeks, for any reason
    • 22+1 weeks of gestation or more if two medical practitioners agree that, in all the circumstances, the termination should be performed.
  • Local Hospital and Health Services provide a limited number of appointments for terminations. Priority appointments for terminations will be given to women with complex health care needs and no ability to have a termination in the private sector where most terminations are performed.
  • Statewide clinical guidelines states under the Clinical Standards that:
    • Ideally, offer an assessment appointment within 5 days of referral
    • Ideally, provide termination within 2 weeks of the decision to proceed being agreed
  • Refer to Healthpathways and/or local guidelines
  • Offer referral to other services as appropriate, especially where risk factors are identified (e.g. young women, women with physical or intellectual disabilities, mental illness, rape or sexual assault, domestic violence, fertility issues and cultural beliefs/values).
  • Where a young woman is sixteen years of age or under, greater consideration of an independent and appropriate counsellor / support person being available and engaged should be considered
  • Consider primary health screening or advice. i.e. Cervical Screening, Sexual Health Check, Rubella titre, domestic and family violence or sexual violence, smoking cessation advice.
  • Counsel about pregnancy options and contraceptive advice

Clinical resources

Patient resources

Termination of pregnancy diagram

NGO provider information
Clinical override

Clinical override of referral criteria may be requested in the following situations:

  • Inability to include essential referral information. If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons.
  • Patient does not meet minimum referral criteria. If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes that the patient requires specialist review.
  • Presence of clinical modifiers. The presence of clinical modifiers (as listed above in Standard referral information) may impact on the categorisation of a patient.

Include the reason for request for clinical override as part of the referral. Referrals are reviewed by the triaging specialist who determines the most appropriate course of action.

Out of catchment

West Moreton Health is responsible for providing a public health service to people who reside within its catchment area. To appropriately manage demand for service we do not accept referrals from outside this catchment area. If your patient does live outside the West Moreton Health area and it is deemed socially or clinically necessary for their care to be received in the West Moreton Health Service, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and/or social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.

Feedback

To provide feedback about contents on this website or general referral questions please email WM-CPC@health.qld.gov.au or phone 3413 7402.