Racism a barrier to prenatal health care, midwives say

Systemic racism is putting thehealth of expectantmothers and their babies atrisk, according to the Canadian Association of Midwives.

Indigenous women, newcomers to Canada and people of colour face barriers in accessing the benefits of prenatal care due to a lack of resources, as well as discrimination and mistrust, it said.

Prenatal care is credited with safer outcomes for mother and baby by reducing the risks of pregnancy complications and infant mortality. There are also long-term benefits that contribute to the ongoing health of the child.

The association is holding its annual convention in Gatineau, Que., this week.

"Health equity is a problem," said KarlineWilson-Mitchell, director of midwifery atRyersonUniversity. "It'sdue to unequal access to care, structural racism and systemic discrimination."

Midwifery conference takes place in Ottawa

6 years ago

Duration 0:57

Dr. Karline Wilson-Mitchell, the director of midwifery at Ryerson University, explains why her group the Canadian Association of Midwives is so important.

Wilson-Mitchellsaidrefugees often face "unconscious bias" and suspicionin Canada's health-care system. She has heard of pregnant womenbeing interrogated by staff anddenied carebecause of missingpaperwork.

"Someone who is a newly arrived immigrant and has been waiting for their OHIP card for three months is not an abuser of the system, but they may be treated like one."

She said more hard data is needed to help remedy the situation.

"We need to get over the embarrassment of asking about identity," Wilson-Mitchellsaid. "We need to know race, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, gender ... to help identify needs."

Stress and isolation

A lack of community health facilitiesforcemany pregnantIndigenous women to deliver their babies in distant hospitals, far from their lovedones, saidNathaliePambrun,a Mtismidwife from Manitoba who is also president-elect of the Canadian Association of Midwives.

"This is supposed to be a joyous moment in someone's life, but you're creating stress and isolation instead of joy," Pambrun said.

With therate of infant mortality in the Indigenous communitytwo to four times higher than other parts of Canada, Pambrun saidit's crucial that solutions arefound.

The dark legacy of residential schools created mistrustin Canada'smedical system amongIndigenous people, and also eroded traditional knowledge and family lore, she said.

Solutions should bebe community driven, Pambrun added, but midwives have an important role to play as they partner withlocal health centres and work one-on-one with women to help them to access health care.