News release

Province Strengthens Midwifery Services

Health and Wellness

The province is putting a plan in place to ensure expecting mothers will have access to stable, strengthened midwifery services.

The plan is based on recommendations contained in an independent review released in August.

"The recommendations I received are comprehensive and sensible and show us the best way forward," said Ms. MacDonald. "They form the basis of our plan to stabilize and strengthen midwifery in this province."

The province will:

  • Hire a midwifery practice specialist to address clinical, organization and operational challenges at model sites and to fully integrate midwifery into the primary maternity care model.
  • Create a second attendant program at all three sites to ensure consistent care, to increase capacity for home births, and to make midwifery more readily available to women who select it as part of their birth plan.
  • Increase the complement of midwives in the IWK/Capital District health authorities by two full-time equivalents to effectively and safely keep up with the growing demand for services and ensure that women receive the right care based on their needs.

"We want midwives in this province to be able to work to their full scope within a model that provides the best care possible to women and their families," said Ms. MacDonald.

"These are the building blocks on which we will provide better maternity care and greater choice to women and families in our province."

The midwifery report is available online at www.gov.ns.ca/dhw .