4 important reasons to invest in midwives
Abortion is a routine and essential part of health care and includes planned and unplanned pregnancies.
Many continue to face significant barriers to culturally safe, appropriate, and timely access to abortion care.
Health systems in Canada are not meeting the sexual and reproductive care needs of women, trans, and nonbinary people.
Midwives are ideal abortion care providers and key to addressing current barriers
Thinking of providing abortion care?
To help midwives provide abortion care, CAM has created a number of tools. This includes several resources as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
Additional Resources for Health Care Providers
- The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC)
- Regroupement les sages-femmes du Québec
- WHO Clinical Guidelines
- To refer clients for further information, see the next section, or the FAQ: Where can I refer clients who need abortion services?
Are you pregnant and looking for information on abortion care?
If you are pregnant and looking for information on abortion care, there are many resources available to you.
- National Abortion Hotline 1-800-772-9100 (7 days /week) prochoice.org
- Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights Access Line 1-888-642-2725 (7 days/week, 9 AM-9 PM ET) actioncanadashr.org
- Find sexual health services near you (Action Canada)
- Abortion Access Tracker. This site illustrates the legal landscape of abortion in Canada and the reality of accessing abortion care across the country.
Additional Information About Midwifery and Abortion Care in Canada
- The CART Project aims to advance access to abortion to underserved populations through tools for health professionals and people seeking care and the work is supported by Health Canada’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Fund. See Abortion (sogc.org)
- CAM’s Position Statement on Abortion Care asserts that abortion and post abortion care are part of the role of Canadian midwives. CAM supports midwives who already provide this care and those working to integrate this in their practice. New Position Statement: Midwives’ Provision of Abortion – Canadian Association of Midwives (canadianmidwives.org)
- CAM National Strategy is an evidence-informed advocacy tool for midwifery associations, midwives, regulators, midwifery education programs, and collaborating health professionals to champion change. National Strategy for Midwife-Led Abortion Care in Canada
- Reproductive Oppression in Canada includes a range of intersecting oppressions that perpetuate systemic inequalities and injustices. In order to move towards reproductive justice, we must first acknowledge the past and current abuses of women, trans, and nonbinary peoples’ reproductive bodies. Some of the ways it manifests is through the historical and ongoing impacts of racism and colonization, including medical colonialism, obstetric violence and anti-Indigenous racism.
- Reproductive Justice is a social movement and intersectional framework for activism founded in the 1990s, bringing together the advocacy work of women of colour and grassroots health organizations in the United States. It is founded on four primary principles: The human right to own our bodies and control our future; the human right to have children; the human right not to have children and the human right to parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities. Sister Song
- Policy Resources have been developed for midwifery associations, midwives, regulators, midwifery education programs, and collaborating health professionals, including briefing notes, an advocacy road map, and a stakeholder mapping tool. Toolkit
FAQ
Where can I refer clients who need abortion services?
National Abortion Federation Canada:
- What to expect National Abortion Federation website.
- Can refer them to hotline 7 days/week. Referral line: 1-800-772-9100. National Abortion Hotline – National Abortion Federation (prochoice.org)
- Funding: Dr Morgentaler Patient Assistance Fund. Helps patients facing financial barriers to access abortion care at NAF member facility.
- To find resources by region: Abortion Coverage by Region – National Abortion Federation Canada (nafcanada.org)
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights:
- Can refer to Access line 7 days/week, 9 AM-9 PM EST, toll-free, confidential: 1-888-642-2725 Call the access line 18886422725 | Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (actioncanadashr.org)
- To find sexual health services: Find Sexual Health Services Near You | Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (actioncanadashr.org)
- Emergency funding: Norma Scarborough Emergency Fund (access@actioncanadashr.org)
Wellness within pamphlet: Accessing abortion services in Canada
Where can I find resources for clients to help destigmatize abortion?
- #youknowme : Started in 2019 by abortion rights activists in US and used to share abortion stories.
- Shout your abortion (SYA): network of individuals who talk about abortion on own terms: Shout Your Abortion — Normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality.
- 1in3 campaign evolved into Abortion out Loud: a project of advocates for youth. Uses storytelling, grassroots organizing, leadership development & policy advocacy to end stigma: Abortion Out Loud – Advocates for Youth
- Podcast on abortion in Canada: 10 episodes Aborsh Podcast — Aborsh
Where can I learn about Reproductive Justice?
- SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective: About Us — Sister Song
- Native Youth Sexual Health Network: What We Believe In — Native Youth Sexual Health Network
Where can I find anti-stigma resources for professionals?
- Ending abortion stigma: Ipas has developed resource: Ending abortion stigma – Ipas
- Advancing new standards in reproductive health (ANSIRH): program with UCSF Bixby center for Global Reproductive health: Providing the evidence you need to advance reproductive wellbeing | ANSIRH
Where can I learn more about the role of midwives in abortion care?
- ICM’s Essential Competencies: Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice (internationalmidwives.org)
- WHO Towards a supportive law and policy environment for quality abortion care: evidence brief, 2022: Towards a supportive law and policy environment for quality abortion care: evidence brief (who.int)
- UNFPA State of the World’s Midwifery 2021: The State of the World’s Midwifery 2021 (unfpa.org)
What abortion care training is available for midwives?
- NAF Canada on medication abortion: Medication Abortion Training for Primary Care (cvent.com)
- 6 self-paced modules + 1 hour-long live session.
- Regularly have live sessions co-facilitated by midwives.
- Only available in English at the moment
- SOGC course on medication abortion: Medical Abortion Training Program 2.0 (sogc.org)
- 6 hours of content
- Also available in French: Programme de formation sur l’avortement médical 2.0 (sogc.org)
- UBC CPD has a course on increasing access to abortion “We All Have a Role to Play: Increasing Access to Abortion Care in Canada“
- 90 minutes of content
- Also available in French
Where can I get support from colleagues providing abortion care services?
- Free virtual community of practice for healthcare and allied helping professionals: Home – SOGC VCop
- Can also become member of NAF Canada (ongoing trainings, newsletter, conference): NAF Membership – National Abortion Federation (prochoice.org)
Where can I find Clinical Guidelines?
- WHO Abortion Guidelines, 2022: Abortion care guideline (who.int)
- WHO Clinical practice handbook for quality abortion care, 2023: Clinical practice handbook for quality abortion care (who.int)
- NAF Canada has Clinical Policy Guidelines on Abortion Care, in English, French and Spanish: Quality/Standards – National Abortion Federation (prochoice.org)
- SOGC Medical Abortion Clinical Practice Guideline (2016): Medical Abortion – Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada (jogc.com)
Where can I find resources regarding gender affirming care?
- UBC CPD has a free eLearning course designed to give primary care providers skills to improve care of gender diverse patients: Gender-Affirming Primary Care | Course | UBC CPD
- Trans Care BC offers a training for care providers and care teams working with trans, nonbinary and gender diverse people: Intro to Gender Diversity – Expanded – LearningHub (phsa.ca)
- Rainbow Health Ontario has many resources, including the 2SLGBTQ Foundations Course created for health for healthcare and social service providers: Education & Training | Rainbow Health Ontario
- Trans-Inclusive Abortion services (2017): Manual developed by FQPN (available in English + French) to support trans-inclusive policies & practices in abortion settings FQPN18-Manual-EN-PQ-web.pdf (squarespace.com)FQPN-Manual-FR-PRESS-oui.pdf