In this country, midwives "were once a cornerstone of every Indigenous community." What happened?

Before the 20th century, midwifery was essential for communities throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. With the growth of western medicine in the late 1800s to early 1900s, midwives were instead accused of being unsanitary and unscientific. Midwifery became known as "the Midwife problem," and the practice was phased out and operated in legal "grey zones."

In 1994, after decades of midwives pushing back, Ontario became the first province in Canada to recognize and legalize midwives. In 2024, PEI became the final province in Canada to officially recognize midwifery. If the history of midwives is this complicated in the Global North, what is it like to practice as a midwife in places experiencing civil unrest or conflict?

A new documentary follows five midwives who are doing that work. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to two midwives, Ximena Rojas Garcia and Jay MacGillivray, as well as Nance Ackerman, the director of "The Delivery Line: Midwives on the Frontlines." Together, they speak about the challenges of the work that these midwives do, but also about the joy of catching a baby.

Links: 
Midwifery: A Woman's Labour, A Woman's Choice, 1994 CanLIIDocs 506 https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/1994CanLIIDocs506#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA 
British Columbia to let midwives prescribe abortion pill and other drugs https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/british-columbia/british-columbia-to-let-midwives-prescribe-abortion-pill-and-other-drugs/article_f4b5639a-847f-5038-98a1-b82fb4208b00.html#tncms-source=login 
Indigenous communities across Canada have always had midwives https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/history-strategic-plan/ 
A Brief History of Midwifery in America 
https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/brief-history-midwifery-america 
THE MIDWIFE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES 
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/236051 
Why Are We Asking Doctors If Women Should Have Midwives?
https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/holistic-healthcare/why-are-we-asking-doctors-if-women-should-have-midwives.html 
Childbirth evacuation among rural and remote Indigenous communities in Canada: A scoping review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922100038X 
25 years on: What midwifery in Canada has achieved and what it still needs https://theconversation.com/25-years-on-what-midwifery-in-canada-has-achieved-and-what-it-still-needs-120210 
The Destruction of Canadian Midwifery during the 20th Century 
https://birthinternational.com/the-re-emergence-of-canadian-midwifery/?srsltid=AfmBOoq9ax0eNorpdo1FISNUjB2sOB7TlOFK1Mo79rbISeZ9DLcxZhHN 
After decades-long push, P.E.I. now offers midwifery to oversee pregnancies https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-midwifery-services-offered-1.7102229 
Georgia bans many midwives from practicing. Now, several are suing the state https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/midwives-sue-challenge-state-restrictions-rcna264951 
Facing rural realities and mistrust in hospitals, these women turned to home births
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/freebirthing-rural-maternal-medicine-9.7172199 

 

In this country, midwives "were once a cornerstone of every Indigenous community." What happened?
Before the 20th century, midwifery was essential for communities throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. With the growth of western medicine in the late 1800s to early 1900s, midwives were instead accused of being unsanitary and unscientific. Midwifery became known as "the Midwife problem," and the practice was phased out and operated in legal "grey zones."
In 1994, after decades of midwives pushing back, Ontario became the first province in Canada to recognize and legalize midwives. In 2024, PEI became the final province in Canada to officially recognize midwifery. If the history of midwives is this complicated in the Global North, what is it like to practice as a midwife in places experiencing civil unrest or conflict?
A new documentary follows five midwives who are doing that work. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to two midwives, Ximena Rojas Garcia and Jay MacGillivray, as well as Nance Ackerman, the director of "The Delivery Line: Midwives on the Frontlines." Together, they speak about the challenges of the work that these midwives do, but also about the joy of catching a baby.
Links:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Midwifery: A Woman's Labour, A Woman's Choice, 1994 CanLIIDocs 506 <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/1994CanLIIDocs506#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA">https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/1994CanLIIDocs506#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>British Columbia to let midwives prescribe abortion pill and other drugs <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/british-columbia/british-columbia-to-let-midwives-prescribe-abortion-pill-and-other-drugs/article_f4b5639a-847f-5038-98a1-b82fb4208b00.html#tncms-source=login">https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/british-columbia/british-columbia-to-let-midwives-prescribe-abortion-pill-and-other-drugs/article_f4b5639a-847f-5038-98a1-b82fb4208b00.html#tncms-source=login</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Indigenous communities across Canada have always had midwives <a href="https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/history-strategic-plan/">https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/history-strategic-plan/</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>A Brief History of Midwifery in America <a href="https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/brief-history-midwifery-america">https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/brief-history-midwifery-america</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>THE MIDWIFE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/236051">https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/236051</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Why Are We Asking Doctors If Women Should Have Midwives? <a href="https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/holistic-healthcare/why-are-we-asking-doctors-if-women-should-have-midwives.html">https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/holistic-healthcare/why-are-we-asking-doctors-if-women-should-have-midwives.html</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Childbirth evacuation among rural and remote Indigenous communities in Canada: A scoping review <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922100038X">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922100038X</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>25 years on: What midwifery in Canada has achieved and what it still needs <a href="https://theconversation.com/25-years-on-what-midwifery-in-canada-has-achieved-and-what-it-still-needs-120210">https://theconversation.com/25-years-on-what-midwifery-in-canada-has-achieved-and-what-it-still-needs-120210</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>The Destruction of Canadian Midwifery during the 20th Century <a href="https://birthinternational.com/the-re-emergence-of-canadian-midwifery/?srsltid=AfmBOoq9ax0eNorpdo1FISNUjB2sOB7TlOFK1Mo79rbISeZ9DLcxZhHN">https://birthinternational.com/the-re-emergence-of-canadian-midwifery/?srsltid=AfmBOoq9ax0eNorpdo1FISNUjB2sOB7TlOFK1Mo79rbISeZ9DLcxZhHN</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>After decades-long push, P.E.I. now offers midwifery to oversee pregnancies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-midwifery-services-offered-1.7102229">https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-midwifery-services-offered-1.7102229</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Georgia bans many midwives from practicing. Now, several are suing the state&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/midwives-sue-challenge-state-restrictions-rcna264951">https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/midwives-sue-challenge-state-restrictions-rcna264951</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Facing rural realities and mistrust in hospitals, these women turned to home births <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/freebirthing-rural-maternal-medicine-9.7172199">https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/freebirthing-rural-maternal-medicine-9.7172199</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has – and still is – failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.

(MIS)Treated, a TVO podcast, explores how medicine has &ndash; and still is &ndash; failing women and speaks to the people looking to make a difference. Join host Nam Kiwanuka to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.