FAQ

There is no fee charged for midwifery care. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pay for midwifery care, including prenatal, birth and postpartum care.

You do not need a referral to see a midwife and may call the clinic directly. Please feel free to complete an online request for care form.

Your midwife will be your primary care provider. A primary caregiver takes sole responsibility for your care. Having two caregivers is viewed as a duplication of health care services.

You will see your midwife for six weeks after your baby is born.

Midwives work collaboratively in group practices. A woman receives care from a small number of midwives. Visits to a midwifery practice occur on a regular basis, during which time midwives provide clinical examinations, counselling and education. Appointments are 30-60 minutes long. Midwives see their clients for the same number of visits as other pregnancy care providers. Prenatal visits are once a month for the first 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36 weeks and then once a week until your baby is born. Midwives are on call for emergencies 24 hours a day.

We serve the City of Greater Sudbury and surrounding areas.

According to the Ontario Midwifery Act, 1991, “the practice of midwifery is the assessment and monitoring of women during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period and of their newborn babies, the provision of care during normal pregnancy, labour and postpartum period and the conducting of spontaneous normal vaginal deliveries.”

Midwives are trained to handle pregnancy and delivery related complications. If, during midwifery care, a health concern arises beyond the scope of midwifery practice, your midwife would consult with the appropriate health care professional. Occasionally, this may result in a transfer of your care to an obstetrician, or for your baby to a pediatrician. If your care is transferred, your midwife remains with you in a supportive role.

You will not be screened out of midwifery care based on your age.

There is a wide range of tests that a midwife can order. For example, a midwife can arrange for appropriate ultrasound and genetic screening, as well as standard initial laboratory and diagnostic tests.

All of our midwives are graduates of the Ontario Midwifery Education program which is a four year university health sciences degree program. We are all registered with the College of Midwives of Ontario and have current CPR and NRP training.

You should contact a midwife as soon as you know you are pregnant. Midwives will try to accommodate women at any stage of their pregnancy.

Midwives deliver both at home and at Health Sciences North based on your choice of birthplace. Births can also be occasionally accommodated at our clinic.

You will see your midwife for prenatal and postpartum appointments at the midwifery clinic at 1571 Paris St. in Sudbury. The midwife will come to see you for immediate post postpartum visits either in your home or at the hospital.

The Ontario Midwifery Education Program involves obtaining clinical learning experience in midwifery practices throughout Ontario. As a teaching practice, midwifery students will be a part of our teams. They are closely supervised and mentored by a senior midwife. Medical students from the northern Ontario School of Medicine will also be doing placements in the practice. We encourage women to allow students to participate in their care.