Hundreds of thousands of mums-to-be know just who to call when seeking advice from pre-conception, through to pregnancy and breastfeeding.
MotherSafe, a free telephone and face-to-face counselling service, is celebrating 25 years of service after taking more than 400,000 calls from NSW parents.
For Ella Rich, MotherSafe was a lifeline during her pregnancies when she experienced severe nausea and vomiting.
Around one in 100 women experience these symptoms during pregnancy in a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG).
The MotherSafe service was expanded in 2022 to provide specialist support to women with the condition, which is the main cause of hospitalisation in the first half of pregnancy.
"Knowing I could call a consultant who knew about the medications I was exposed to and hyperemesis gravidarum gave me confidence in the health of my baby and alleviated my stress and anxiety," Ms Rich said.
"MotherSafe got me the right medication to treat my HG and I was never sick again - they answered my calls with empathy and compassion every time and even arranged for me to speak with one of their leading doctors."
Catherine, Princess of Wales experienced HG during her pregnancies, raising awareness of the condition across the world.
MotherSafe staff also provide evidence-based information and counselling about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, street drugs, infections, radiation and occupational exposures.
Having access to clear advice on medications and other exposures was critically important for expectant and new mums, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said.
"I want to thank the many dedicated MotherSafe staff who have helped hundreds of thousands of NSW women give their babies the very best start to life," he said.
MotherSafe is run via the Royal Hospital for Women in NSW, interstate and overseas consumers should contact their local service.
