Since September 1999, midwifery is legal in Quebec Province, Canada.
Before, we had "no legal status" for midwives, and families in Quebec
worried about the risk of legal prosecution. We wanted midwives to be able
to practice where women give birth [in the home, if desired].
Today we have birth centers. At first there were the "projets-pilotes" to
evaluate how midwives practice (eight years). Law 28 (my worst nightmare)
has delayed approval of homebirth until the government passes homebirth
practices rules. Our government (social-democratic) didn't want to have to
also pay midwives in case of transfers, so midwives stopped going with
women in case of complications. We have a public health system here; it
means society now pays for midwifery care, and this means regulations,
norms, protocols, etc.
The situation is hard here because women give birth alone, or in the
hospital, and I'm afraid we have lost our midwifery soul. If a midwife goes
to the home she can be fined between CAN$600-$6,000, and if a friend and/or
husband performs midwives' protected acts (like catching the baby) they can
be fined too, for each act-illegal midwives' act and illegal birth place.
What is for our future, for our children's future?
-Marypascal
Reprinted from Midwifery Today E-News (Vol 2 Issue 18 May 5, 2000)
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