The New Midwifery: Reflections on Renaissance and Regulation

Andrea Levan is an associate professor and co-ordinator of the Women’s
Studies Program at Thorneloe College, Laurentian University.

This book offers an interesting and timely look at midwifery in Canada.
Its main purpose is to examine the impact of regulation on midwifery as
well as the fears and hopes that have been expressed about the
regulation.

The advantages of professionalizing midwifery include better pay for
midwives and services that will be accessible to a more diverse group of
women. But some opponents argue that professionalization will destroy
the woman-centred approach of midwifery and force it to conform to the
dominant model of healthcare. State-supported models such as those in
Nordic countries suggest a possibility somewhere in between.

The book’s 15 articles by various authors are grouped into two major
sections. The first section looks at the meaning of midwifery to diverse
groups of women. Separate articles discuss the perspectives of Native
women, women of color, and women with disabilities; these highlight the
long tradition of midwifery in various cultures and the contemporary
need for more diversity in both the providers and users of the service.
The second section reviews the status of regulation in various provinces
and regions of Canada. These articles document the ways that midwifery
services are being provided in the context of the debates about
regulation. Particularly useful is the chapter on Ontario, the only
province where midwives have actually begun practising under the new
regulations.

Overall the book is an excellent source of information about recent and
pending policy changes and provides valuable reviews of current issues
of debate.