Province Commits to Publicly Fund Midwifery

Nova Scotia women are a step closer to accessing more maternity care with a government commitment to publicly fund midwifery.

Health Minister Chris d'Entremont announced today, Nov. 20, that the province is looking at ways to publicly fund midwives as part of an integrated primary maternity care team. The amount will be determined as part of the 2008-09 business planning process.

"Midwives can play a key role as part of a team approach to maternity care," said Mr. d'Entremont. "Adding midwives to our health-care professionals gives moms and families more choice, allowing us to better meet their needs."

Midwives are trained specialists who care for women throughout pregnancy, low-risk births, and in the first weeks after birth. Midwives will work with family physicians and other primary health-care providers to deliver maternity care.

The 2003 Report of the Nova Scotia Advisory Committee on Primary Health Care Renewal recommended a team approach to primary maternity care.

In 2004, the province established a primary maternity working group with representatives from the Association of Nova Scotia Midwives, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Doctors Nova Scotia, College of Registered Nurses, and the Department of Health.

The working group recommended midwives in Nova Scotia be licensed as primary maternity-care providers through the Midwifery Act. Under the act, a multi-disciplinary midwifery regulatory council would be established.

The Midwifery Act was passed in the fall of 2006. The province has been working with the health-care community to develop legislation and regulations to integrate midwifery into primary maternity care, including bylaws and policies to support the legislation, funding and interdisciplinary models.

The Midwifery Act is scheduled to be proclaimed this spring, with midwifery services to be available in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Midwives in Nova Scotia are not government regulated or integrated into the health-care team.