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What is a midwife?
A midwife is a front-line health professional. They monitor pregnancies, assist with births, and provide follow-up care for mother and baby for up to 6 weeks postpartum. They are members of the health network as independent professionals working in a midwifery service or at a birthing centre.
What are the guiding principles of midwifery?
The model of midwifery practice is based on four guiding principles:
- Confidence in the competence and autonomy of women;
- Respect for and trust in the physiological process of pregnancy and childbirth;
- The importance of continuity of care and the relationship;
- The personal and egalitarian relationship with the woman.
What is the philosophy of midwifery practice?
“The practice of midwifery is based on respect for pregnancy and childbirth as normal physiological processes, carrying deep meaning in the lives of women.”
Consult the complete philosophy of midwifery practice adopted in 1997 by the Regroupement Les sages-femmes du Québec here.
What training is needed to become a midwife?
Midwifery training in Québec is offered at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). It is a 132-credit bachelor’s degree, spread out over 4 1/2 years. During their training, future midwives complete a 3-year internship in midwifery services, as well as in hospitals (obstetrics and neonatology) and community settings.
What is the legal framework for midwifery practice?
Midwifery practice is governed by the Act respecting health services and social services, Bill 10, the Midwives Act, and 17 different regulations. The profession is governed by a professional order, the Ordre des sages-femmes du Québec, and structures within healthcare institutions oversee the safe delivery of services. These structures are the directors of midwifery services and the council of midwives.
Does this have an impact on the health of mothers and babies?
As stated by the pilot project council in the document Projets-pilotes sages-femmes, rapport final et recommandations published in 1999, midwifery practice, like the choice to give birth outside a hospital[1], reduces the number of obstetric procedures, the rate of premature babies, and the rate of low-birth-weight babies. It also reduces the rate of 3rd- and 4th-degree tears, and leads to higher breastfeeding rates and lower costs for the healthcare system[2].
Who are the members of our midwifery team?
By the time the services are available, the team will consist of a director of midwifery services, four midwives, two birth assistants, and one administrative assistant. Currently, the director of midwifery services, Cynthia Perreault, is heading up the project. A second midwife will be hired to support her once the temporary location is set up, followed by an administrative assistant. The rest of the team will be hired 8-12 weeks before the start of services.
For all information requests, please contact:
Cynthia Perreault, director, midwifery services
Telephone: 579-491-1348
Email: cynthia.perreault.cisssmo16@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
[1] REITSMA, Angela and al., Maternal outcomes and birth interventions among women who begin labour intending to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: A systematic review and meta-analyses, The Lancet, volume 21, 100319, April 01, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100319
[2] MCE Conseil, Rapport synthèse, Accouchement avec sages-femmes ou accouchement par des médecins, 2016