WAIT times for regular pregnancy monitoring have been slashed with a dedicated area opened at Fiona Stanley Hospital for booked cardiotocography (CTG) appointments.

Since May, the new clinic has catered for four women at a time, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays.

It is separate to the Maternal Foetal Assessment Unit (MFAU), but still on the third floor with maternity services.

The new clinic was introduced as a result of patient feedback.

Midwifery manager of ambulatory services Peta Skuthorp said the move also freed up MFAU for more urgent cases.

“Because these women are no longer waiting alongside urgent cases, their wait time has effectively been reduced to zero,” she said.

Fiona Stanley Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital offer Perth’s public MFAUs.

KEMH has nine cubicles in its MFAU for urgent cases, and eight assessment reclining chairs for non-urgent monitoring.

Dirk and Tricia Mulder were among those to offer positive feedback on the new clinic, enjoying the opportunity to have the same midwife at each visit.

They attended the clinic for monitoring twice a week during the later stages of Tricia’s pregnancy with baby Pierce, who was born last month.