Midwifery in the NWT

A Midwifery Expansion project is planned for NWT and is getting underway
in 2020.  Currently there is just one midwife in Yellowknife. 
Recruitment for a second midwife is underway.  Plans are in place for
hiring more midwives with the intention of starting a group practice in the
near future.  Part of the plan for this group practice will be for the
midwives to provide occasional prenatal clinics in communities outside of
Yellowknife on a regular basis. The Fort Smith Midwifery practice was established in 2004 and continues to provide all prenatal and postpartum care to birthing families. 
Community births are managed in the Fort Smith hospital for the low risk
clients who wish to deliver there.  Pregnant people from other parts of
the territory and even from nearby Edmonton communities who wish to deliver
with the midwives are also cared for.  These tend to be people with family
in Fort Smith so that they have a place to stay while they wait for labour and
do some recovery before traveling home.   There is no boarding
facility in Fort Smith for clients from other parts of the territory. 
Births are attended by two registered midwives OR by one midwife with a
registered nurse.  The midwives provide care to an average of 30 – 40
clients per year and manage approximately 5 – 15 community births per year.   The Hay River Midwifery practice was started in 2014.  Midwives provide all the prenatal and postpartum care in Hay River and provide clinical support
to the nurses in Fort Resolution.  Low risk clients of Hay River and Fort
Resolution will deliver in the Hay River Hospital with one registered midwife
and one registered nurse in attendance.  As with Fort Smith, clients from
other parts of the territory may choose to come to Hay River in late pregnancy
and give birth with the midwives as long as they have some where to stay. 
The midwives provide care to approximately 35 – 45 clients per year and manage
between 10 – 18 community births per year, with the nurse on call assisting at
the births.