Minimum midwife-to-patient ratios of one to six, including babies, will be established in public maternity wards under reforms proposed by Health Minister Shannon Fentiman.
It marks the first time in Australia new-born babies will be counted as patients in such provisions.
Ms Fentiman said under the new laws midwives would be able to provide safer, more compassionate and comprehensive care.
"I am pleased to announce we will be introducing a bill to create midwife-to-patient ratios in our public maternity wards, and in an Australian first we will count the babies," she told parliament on Thursday.
Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says the reforms will make for safer care for mothers and babies. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)
"This will mean that mums and dads receive higher quality care and midwives will not be tasked with unmanageable workloads."
The changes follow a long running campaign by the state's nurses and midwives over burnout. A recent survey found midwives were caring for up to 20 people on each shift.
The announcement comes after Ms Fentiman's commitment to the new role of a chief midwife and to offering home births for women from mid-2024.
The bill will also include reforms to improve access to pregnancy termination services.
The minister said appropriately trained nurses and midwives would be allowed to administer drugs like MS-2 Step, a type of medical abortion medicine.Â
"We know that women still face barriers to accessing termination services, particularly in rural and remote Queensland," she said.
"Access to these services should not depend on a woman's postcode."
The move has been welcomed by MSI Australia, an independently accredited provider of safe abortion, contraception and vasectomy services.
MSI Australia said expanding medical abortion prescribers was important in reducing stigma.
"Allowing approved health practitioners to play a more prominent role in providing medical abortion increases the convenience and accessibility of these services and reduces potential barriers for people seeking timely care," MSI's Catriona Melville said.
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