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Vancouver, BC – Expanding the availability of midwifery in British Columbia by ensuring registered midwives attend 35 per cent of the births in the province by 2020 would increase access to maternity care in rural communities, improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs, according to a report released today by the Midwives Association of British Columbia (MABC).

 

“There is an urgent need to increase midwifery services and ensure they are fully integrated into the health care system to make it easier for women and families to access quality maternity care in their home communities across British Columbia,” said Ganga Jolicoeur, Executive Director of MABC. “’Our New Vision for Midwifery and Maternity Care,’ is intended to bridge the growing gap in maternity care, especially in rural, northern and First Nations communities.”

 

By increasing the number of midwife-assisted births in BC to 35 per cent by 2020 and fully integrating midwifery services into BC’s health care system, the MABC’s vision offers:
 Increased access to quality maternity care, especially in rural, northern and First Nations communities
 Improvements in health outcomes for women and newborns
 More options for women to choose their maternity care provider
 Reduced pressure on family physicians working in underserved communities
 Reduced Caesarean rates and obstetrical interventions
 A realistic and achievable solution to close the growing maternity care gap
 Net cost savings of approximately $60 million that can go towards other health care priorities

 

“Increased access to quality maternity care will lead to healthier babies, healthier moms and healthier families,” said Kelly Hayes, registered midwife and Vice President of the MABC. “We believe British Columbians will support our vision because of the real health benefits and net cost savings, estimated at $60 million by 2020 and $20 million annually after that. These savings could be used for other priorities in the health care system.”
The MABC’s vision contains a series of recommendations that involve BC’s registered midwives working with the provincial government, regional health authorities, hospitals, other maternity care providers and the First Nations Health Authority to help close the maternity care gap and better serve women and families in rural, northern and First Nations communities.