Maternity — Bay of Plenty

There are a range of options for where and how you give birth in the Bay of Plenty. Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty has 2 primary birthing centres and 2 secondary maternity facilities. There are no tertiary facilities in the Bay of Plenty, but you can be referred to them if required.

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Update on Ko Matariki Birthing Unit

Ko Matariki Birthing Unit is temporarily without pregnancy and birth specialist doctors (obstetrics) until we are fully recruited with specialist doctors. It is still open as a primary birthing unit. There are still full paediatric pēpi services to support newborns that may require extra help.

Services we provide

Our experienced team are here to make sure you receive the best care possible. The Bay of Plenty has:

  • midwife and nursing care through pregnancy, labour and birth, and after birth
  • specialist obstetricians and paediatricians for complications during pregnancy, childbirth and after birth
  • breastfeeding support
  • anaesthetic services for pain relief during labour.

Choices for giving birth in the Bay of Plenty

You have options for deciding where to give birth. These include:

  • having a home birth
  • going to a primary birthing centre
  • birthing in hospital.

You should discuss your preferred place of birth with your midwife as part of your planning in pregnancy. Women who have complications or risk factors in pregnancy are encouraged to give birth at hospital.

Home birth

Home birth is a safe choice for many hapū māmā and whānau and may suit you if you have no complications during pregnancy and want to stay in a familiar place. Talk to your midwife about your options.

Primary birthing centres

Primary birthing centres are for women who have no complications during pregnancy and want a natural birth without intervention. There are 3 primary birthing centres in the Bay of Plenty.

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To contact the Bethlehem Birthing Centre:

The Bethlehem Birthing Centre is at:

1 Paeroa Road
Bethlehem
Tauranga

The Bethlehem Birthing Centre has:

  • 12 rooms, 11 with baths for labour and birth
  • queen beds – partners can stay
  • labour and birth balls, slings, and stools
  • entonox (gas and air for pain relief).

Find out more about the Bethlehem Birthing Centre (external link)

To contact the Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre, call 07 315 8500

The Ōpōtiki centre is at:

32A King St
Ōpōtiki

The health centre has 2 birthing rooms with one pool.

Ōpōtiki Community Health Centre cannot currently offer a stay or postnatal care.

To contact Ko Matariki, call 07 306 0811

To contact the community midwifery team, call 0800 429 328

Ko Matariki is at:

Stewart Street
Whakatāne Hospital
Whakatāne

Ko Matariki has:

  • 3 birthing rooms, 2 with pools
  • 13 postnatal beds
  • a community midwifery team
  • lactation consultants
  • wāhanga piripoho (a neonatal unit)
  • paediatricians on site
  • loss and counselling space
  • pregnancy tests and morning after pill
  • preconception advice
  • early medical abortion under 10 weeks pregnant
  • maternity social workers.

Secondary maternity facilities

To contact Tauranga Hospital maternity ward, call 07 579 8000

To contact the community midwifery team, call 0800 267 686

Tauranga Hospital maternity ward is at:

Level 1
Cameron Road
Tauranga

Tauranga Hospital maternity ward has:

  • 7 birthing rooms, 2 with pools
  • 17 postnatal beds
  • 6 antenatal beds
  • a woman’s assessment unit
  • a community midwifery team
  • wāhanga piripoho (a neonatal unit)
  • paediatricians on site
  • obstetricians on site
  • lactation consultants
  • maternity social workers.

Tertiary maternity facilities

There are no tertiary maternity facilities in the Bay of Plenty. If you have more complex maternity needs, we may refer you to Waikato Hospital.

Childbirth education

For details for local childbirth education or antenatal classes in the Bay of Plenty area, see the Childbirth education webpage.

Childbirth education (internal link)