What is a Midwife?

About Midwives

A Midwife is a part of primary health care and specializes in the treatment and complete health care of women throughout pregnancy, labor, and birth. Midwives monitor the health of mother and baby through all three trimesters of pregnancy, during childbirth as well as after the baby is born.

Midwives organize routine prenatal testing including ultrasound and genetic screening and can identify any risks or complications with the pregnancy. They also arrange various laboratory and diagnostic tests and provide analysis for patients based on any findings or concerns. Along with performing vaginal deliveries, Midwives can provide care to mothers and babies for several weeks post-partum.

Midwives are specialists in childbirth and postpartum health care. Illnesses and complications of pregnancy that are diagnosed and treated by midwives include gestational diabetes, ectopic pregnancy, and preeclampsia to name a few.

Midwives work along with other health care providers including Gynecologists and Obstetricians, Pediatricians, and Family Doctors / General Practitioners to provide treatment and health care for mothers and their babies.

Like their counterparts, Midwives can be on-call and available to patients 24 hours a day throughout their care and are present for home births as well as in the hospital depending on the patient’s choice and circumstances of childbirth.

Useful Resources

Canada

Canadian Association of Midwives

Alberta

Newfoundland and Labrador

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia