Midwifery – From Parasite to Partner in the Ontario Health Care System

Abstract

Using several frameworks for public policy analysis, documents how midwifery in Ontario evolved from being illegal in 1982 to being a self‐regulated health profession in 1990. In 1985, the Ontario Government agreed that midwifery should be “legalized”; but how to do it was the question. The lobbying efforts of two coalitions armed with research‐based evidence influenced the policy decision process. Coalition A favoured midwifery becoming a self‐regulated health profession based on their beliefs that: (1) childbirth should be “de‐medicalized” and (2) the parents have a right to choose. Coalition B favoured the medical model and believed that “treatment was better”; it opposed home births, in general, and midwifery being self‐regulated, in particular. Also examines future implications of the Midwife Act.

Citation

Wayne Taylor, D. and Nesdoly, F. (1994), "Midwifery – From Parasite to Partner in the Ontario Health Care System", Health Manpower Management, Vol. 20 No. 5, pp. 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/09552069410070642