DeepSummary
This podcast episode discusses the role of midwives in Canada's healthcare system and how they can help alleviate some of the pressure caused by the ongoing labor shortage. Carly Weeks, the Globe's former health reporter, explains that midwives are regulated health professionals who oversee the period before, during, and after pregnancy, providing care similar to obstetricians but with a focus on low-risk pregnancies and a more personal approach.
The episode delves into the history of midwifery in Canada, where it was previously viewed with skepticism by the medical community due to concerns over patient safety. However, as more research has emerged demonstrating the safety of midwife-assisted births in low-risk cases, midwives have gained recognition and regulation across the country. Still, midwives argue that they are underutilized and could play a bigger role in addressing the healthcare crisis.
Carly Weeks discusses various ways in which midwives could help alleviate the strain on the healthcare system, such as working alongside obstetricians, setting up clinics, and taking on patients from overworked family doctors. The episode also highlights innovative programs, like the midwifery clinic unit at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Ontario, which integrates midwives into the hospital setting and allows them to collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Midwives are regulated healthcare professionals who specialize in low-risk pregnancies and can provide care before, during, and after childbirth.
- Midwifery care historically faced skepticism from the medical community due to concerns over patient safety, but has gained recognition and regulation across Canada in recent decades.
- Midwives argue that they are underutilized in the healthcare system and could help alleviate strain caused by the labor shortage by taking on patients, working alongside obstetricians, and setting up clinics.
- Innovative programs, like the midwifery unit at Markham Stouffville Hospital, are integrating midwives into hospital settings and allowing them to collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
- Midwives have faced issues with pay equity, with a significant wage gap compared to other regulated health professions, particularly in Ontario.
- Expanding the role of midwives and better utilizing their skills could help address the healthcare crisis and improve access to maternal care across Canada.
- While midwives cannot perform certain medical interventions like C-sections or epidurals, they can provide personal support and oversee low-risk pregnancies, potentially reducing the burden on obstetricians and family doctors.
- The recognition and regulation of midwifery in Canada has evolved over time, with provinces like Ontario being at the forefront of integrating midwives into the healthcare system.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Midwives are real specialists in low risk pregnancies.“ by Carly Weeks
- “They're saying we can leverage our skills to see more people to work in more places, to help work with other members of the team to alleviate that strain.“ by Carly Weeks
- “According to the midwife who's running the program there, the midwives are actually also being called upon a lot to help out in the hospital itself. So, say, if we know that the healthcare workforce is struggling, there's not enough nurses, there's shortages everywhere. And so in this case, they're actually allowing or seeing midwives going into, say, labor and delivery units when they're short of a pair of hands and assisting in that way.“ by Carly Weeks
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Episode Information
The Decibel
The Globe and Mail
6/12/24