The Growth Assessment Protocol (GAP) is an international, award winning program which aims to improve safety in maternity care and outcome of pregnancy, including perinatal mortality and morbidity, with the predominant focus on improving antenatal recognition of pregnancies at risk due to fetal growth restriction.

GAP consists of evidence based guidelines and risk assessment algorithms, education and accreditation of all staff involved in clinical care, and rolling audit and benchmarking of performance. For further information and links to evidence and resources, please see www.perinatal.org.uk/GAP

In Aotearoa New Zealand, GAP is commissioned nationally by Te Whatu Ora . Thanks to a concerted effort by DHBs and clinicians including midwives, obstetricians and sonographers, all expectant mothers are now being cared for with evidence based maternity guidelines, including New Zealand antenatal growth charts which are customised according to each individual pregnancy’s characteristics. The GAP Terms of Service is detailed here: Terms of service. Resources include:

• GAP Education - dates of forthcoming workshops are listed here.
• Fundal Height Measurement - click here for video demonstration. (Enter password “measureright”).
• GAP eLearning - To access eLearning please use the following link - https://elearningnz.perinatal.org.uk/

Recent NZ results have shown a substantial increase in the health service’s ability to detect antenatally if the baby’s growth is unsatisfactory, which allows further investigation and timely delivery if necessary. Significant progress in this regard has been made across ethnic groups in New Zealand.