A Message from Nathalie Pambrun, President of CAM and Sage-femme

June 3, 2020 –  The killing of George Floyd and the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet have united voices from around the world speaking out against the disproportionate violence Black people experience all while carrying grief, anger, and anxiety from these senseless deaths. CAM wants to extend deep sympathy to the families and community of all Black people who have died in police presence or otherwise due to pervasive anti-Black racism. We also want to acknowledge the people who live with the effects of anti-Black racism and how these tragedies are triggering and re-traumatizing. To our Black students, midwives, and clients our hearts are with yours and we are awakened to the need to take serious action as your national association. Read more >

Anti-Oppression Statement: Health Cannot be Achieved without Justice

June 3, 2020 – As midwives, we have the responsibility of life within our hands every day. As we watch horrified by yet another killing of a black man in the US, we are reminded of our responsibilities to the essential work that is still required to combat racism right here at home. Injustice, inequity, and oppression aren’t someone else’s houseguests. They are ours and sometimes we are also that houseguest. Until we understand how to awaken, act, and do the work, we will continue to dwell in the denial that has allowed racial inequities to thrive.

Read the full statement >

Reproductive Justice during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Call to Action from Midwives

May 13, 2020 – NACM and CAM advocate during the COVID-19 pandemic, and at all times, that a reproductive justice framework be applied to all perinatal care services. Marginalized groups continue to advocate and resist persistent injustices and inequities, calling for recognition, representation, reparation, and reconciliation. NACM and CAM recommend that governments, policy makers, and healthcare professionals undertake specific actions to support reproductive justice. Read more >

SOGC, CFPC, NACM, CAPWHN and CAM Joint Statement on Support Persons in Labour 

April 24, 2020 – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals around the world have been forced to rethink their policies at all levels of care in order to protect staff and patients alike. This new reality has forced some hospitals into making difficult decisions when it comes to how they care for their pregnant patients in labour. Read more >

CAM/NACM Joint Statement: Flexible Frameworks for Safe and Quality Midwifery Care during COVID-19 

April 17, 2020 – CAM and NACM have released a statement that recommends governments, public health authorities, and decision-makers consider how childbirth occurs in the context of COVID-19 and put in place flexible frameworks for perinatal care provision to ensure the safety of birthing people, families, and health care providers during this pandemic. 

The key recommendations from this document are: 

1. Prepare for temporary restructuring of perinatal care services. 
2. Protect the health and safety of front-line care providers, including midwives. 
3. Maintain equitable, safe, and quality care to pregnant people and their newborns. 
4. Protect communities where access to health care is limited or non-existent.  

Read more > 

CAM and NACM Statement: Midwives as Essential Primary Care Providers in the Context of COVID-19

April 3, 2020 – CAM and NACM release a statement urging all governments to follow the proposed recommendations to ensure optimal use and deployment of midwifery services during the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage all midwifery associations to share this statement with their respective governments, regional and public health authorities and employers. Read the statement >

COVID-19

The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) is closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak. Our current priority is keeping our midwife members and member associations informed. Midwives will receive regular email Bulletins with links to important resources for health care providers. General information will continue to be available through this home page.

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