Women with high-risk pregnancies in the Kimberley are set to benefit from improved access to specialist antenatal care through a $450,000 telehealth project backed by the

Western Australian Government.

The Connected Care project brings together the WA Country Health Service and Women and Newborn Health Service to connect regional patients with maternal-fetal medicine specialists at Perth's King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Funded through the WA Government's Future Health Research and Innovation Fund, the project uses real-time tele-ultrasound technology, allowing specialists to remotely guide examinations, interpret ultrasound images and provide expert advice during a single appointment.

The technology aims to reduce the need for pregnant women to travel long distances to access specialist care.

Kimberley MP Divina D'Anna said the project could make a significant difference for families across the region.

"For Aboriginal women and their families, being able to receive culturally safe care close to family and on Country is so important," she said.

"That connection can make a real difference to a woman's wellbeing during pregnancy."

WA Health Minister Meredith Hammat said the project would both improve access to specialist services, and strengthen local maternity care.

"Our government is backing innovative approaches that connect regional women with specialist care, helping them stay close to family support networks and on Country throughout their pregnancy," she said.

More than 6,000 pregnancies are managed annually across rural and remote Western Australia, with distance creating significant logistical and emotional challenges for expectant mothers and their families.

The project also provides regional sonographers and obstetricians the opportunity to work alongside specialists experienced in managing complex pregnancies, helping build local expertise and support earlier intervention.

For Aboriginal women in the Kimberley, access to culturally safe maternity care close to family and Country is particularly important.

Limited access to specialist services can mean women with high-risk pregnancies must relocate to Perth weeks before their due dates, separating them from family, community and important support networks.

Following its launch in Broome, the project's clinical leads plan to extend the service to Port Hedland later this year, with a potential rollout across the Kimberley and Pilbara in 2027.