Coronavirus / COVID-19: Resources for Midwives
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To support midwives in these challenging times, we’ve pulled together key resources. This content requires a password. Go to page >
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:
- Prepare for temporary restructuring of perinatal care services.
- Protect the health and safety of front-line care providers, including midwives.
- Maintain equitable, safe, and quality care to pregnant people and their newborns.
- Protect communities where access to health care is limited or non-existent.
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.
Jump to a topic:
Statements from Midwifery Associations
International Confederation of Midwives (ICM)
Public Health Notices and Government Updates
Detailed real time information regarding Canadian COVID-19 cases https://resources-covid19canada.hub.arcgis.com/app/eb0ec6ffdb654e71ab3c758726c55b68
World Health Organization COVID-10 events as they happen https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen
Government of Canada Covid-19: Being Prepared
Government of Canada Covid-19: for Health Professionals
Government of Canada Covid-19: Travel Advice
Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html
Government of Ontario
The Ontario government has an easy-to-use self-assessment tool for individuals. This tool provides recommended actions for individuals based on their symptoms.
Pregnancy, Birth and Information for Parents
National
Pregnancy, Birth and Information for Parents
Baby Center and Society for fetal-maternal medicine has an online article with a COVID-19 FAQ for pregnancy and parents. Read more https://www.babycenter.com/0_coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-faq-medical-experts-answer-yo_40007006.bc
The Canadian Pediatric Society’s Caring for Kids website has many resources on COVID-19 and babies and children. This is a helpful resource as some children can present COVID-19 symptoms differently than adults. Read more https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/the-2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19
CBC News has an excellent guide outlining the procedure for testing in each province and territory. Read more https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/covid19-coronavirus-what-to-do-1.5498986
International
WHO published a note on LinkedIn for parents with COVID-19 who breastfeed and do skin-to-skin contact, suggesting three core practices:
- Respiratory hygiene, including during feeding.
- Hand hygiene before & after contact with a child.
- Routinely clean and disinfect contact surfaces.
Read more https://www.linkedin.com/posts/world-health-organization_covid19-activity-6645837367192150016-E11m/
WHO Videos Explaining COVID-19 Transmission and Prevention
Indigenous and Remote Communities
A message from the Co-chairs of the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives : https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/WordsfromAncestorsCOVIDNACMPublic20200320_FINAL.pdf
The Federal government, thorough Indigenous Services Canada, has provided a landing page for all COVID-19 information for First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, individuals and healthcare providers. Read more https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1584456952392/1584456999460
Indigenous Services Canada’s Preparedness and Response to COVID-19: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/DAM/DAM-ISC-SAC/DAM-HLTH/STAGING/texte-text/preparedness_response_COVID-19_1584463875030_eng.pdf
Assembly of First Nations Declares State of Emergency on COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.afn.ca/assembly-of-first-nations-declares-state-of-emergency-on-covid-19-pandemic/
Inuit Tapariit Kanatami Calls For Special Consideration For Inuit As A COVID-19 High-Risk Group https://www.itk.ca/itk-calls-for-special-consideration-for-inuit-as-a-covid-19-high-risk-group/
IPAC and FNHHM both held virtual events focused on Indigenous people’s health:
- Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada: https://www.facebook.com/IdleNoMoreCommunity/videos/613593779233954/
- First Nations Health Managers Association: http://ihtoday.ca/first-nations-health-managers-association-to-host-online-indigenous-town-hall-on-covid-19/
The International Lactation Consultant Association has collected many resources around COVID-19 and breast/chestfeeding.
Indigenous midwives uphold breastfeeding as sacred medicine for the mother and baby that connects the bodies of women to the sustaining powers of our mother earth.
Special Announcement,
CAM Conference 2020
The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) is closely monitoring the COVID 19 situation across Canada. In light of recent outbreaks of the virus, we are considering all options for the annual CAM Conference & Exhibit. The 2020 conference venue, the Banff Arts Centre in Alberta, has significantly reduced its operations and is moving into an “essential services” footing for the next few months. Because we cannot know at this time how long it will take for the COVID 19 crisis to pass, we are examining all possible and viable options including postponement, cancellation or hosting a smaller event. We do not anticipate an update before May or June but we suggest you continue to visit this webpage for updates.
