Integrating Indigenous midwives into a comprehensive primary care setting

Abstract

Canada has been unique in the modern era for limiting midwives from providing sexual health and perinatal care to families. Prohibitions on midwifery practice were finally lifted in Prince Edward Island in 2024, yet midwives’ scope of practice continues to be restricted in most jurisdictions. The Canadian Midwifery Regulators Council recently recommended midwives should be able to practice their full scope. Our midwifery pilot project, located in the city of Victoria, British Columbia, implemented this recommendation in 2023‐2024. Below we demonstrate the benefits of integrating midwifery into a primary healthcare clinic and the continued challenges midwives and their teams face in securing salaried employment long-term. We focus on the specialized cultural and clinical skillset that Indigenous registered midwives in particular bring to primary care, and the life-saving outcomes that can occur for youth clients if interprofessional collaboration and cooperation are well-established.