Maternal Health in Canadian Aboriginal Communities: Challenges and Opportunities

Restoring the Blessings of the Morning Star: Childbirth and Maternal-Infant Health for First Nations near Edmonton, Alberta

“…The removal of childbirth from the community to the hospital resulted in poorer childbirth experiences and health outcomes for the majority of Aboriginal women participants in this study, echoing the negative impact of this shift in Aboriginal communities throughout Canada (Lalonde, Butt, and Bucio 2009;Allan and Smylie 2015). It is not known whether this shift has actually resulted in outcomes that are worse than they were before the removal took place; however it is known that health outcomes continue to remain worse for First Nations compared to non-First Nations.…”

“…The impact of the institutionalization and medicalization of childbirth on the health of Aboriginal mothers and newborns compared to that of the general population has been widely documented in Canada (Allan and Smylie 2015;Smylie et al 2010;Lalonde et al 2009). The removal of childbirth from the family and cultural context to city hospitals has not had the positive results expected with the provision of modern Western medical services.…”

“…The systematic suppression of traditional beliefs, customs and practices contributed to a concomitant erosion of health that is still present today. Compounding the elimination of culturally-based health supports was the removal of health services from the communities to non-Aboriginal, federal entities (Lalonde et al 2009). In removing childbirth from Aboriginal communities, not only was access to health care limited or denied, but the accumulated wisdom and traditions of elders and midwives was also lost.…”

“…(Circle Participant) While the medicalization and hospitalization of childbirth for Aboriginal women began in the mid-twentieth century (Lalonde et al 2009), the disruption of the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation began fifty years earlier with colonization, the imposition of treaties and Christianity, and particularly the establishment of the residential school system in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Residential schools imposed religious beliefs and Western values that negatively impacted views of sexuality and teachings regarding reproductive health.…”

Canada’s pregnancy-related mortality rates: doing well but room for improvement

“…Although increasing evidence exists that midwife-led care may be a safe alternative for low-risk women [129,[135][136][137][138][139], and there is considerable promotion for this as a major care initiative [140,141], concern remains about its safety and effectiveness [142]. The Netherlands is often cited as an example of how midwifery can be advantageous; however, the distances in Canada are much greater, with less access to technological help in remote areas [143].…”