Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, midwives are more than just baby catchers. As a matter of fact, they provide counselling, they provide information on pregnancy, sexual health, they order tests, they provide order ultrasounds, they do PAP smears, prescribe medication. Mr. Speaker, the list goes on.
Mr. Speaker, they also provide continuing education during and after the birth. Mr. Speaker, they help with lactation consultation, infant feeding. And, Mr. Speaker, they have truly become a continuation of the health care system.
Mr. Speaker, if you're not convinced by the human side, well, maybe you're a dollar and cents person. I'm okay, I understand that. So here it is.
In Alberta and in BC, they respectively have saved $7 million and $60 million with the savings by using midwifery. But it doesn't just stop there. According to the Association of Safe Alternatives for Childbirth, they say they save $540 per birth. And then they go on to the overall continuation using the versus the obstetrics program, it's $2,000 cheaper. Midwives save money.
Mr. Speaker, Parkland Institute, which is associated with the University of Alberta, says you can save $1,200 per birth. And in BC, they even say over the 28day postpartum process, it's over $2,000. This all adds up, Mr. Speaker. There's not a health care system that isn't evaluating itself asking how can we do business better? Heck, let's consider midwifery.
I'm a very pragmatic person, Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows. Health jurisdictions are asking themselves what's important. It's not midwifery versus obstetrics, Mr. Speaker. It's about the right fit in partnerships. There is money to be saved. Families, mothers, children receive less trauma. Patient care is increased. And sometimes, if not most times, medication is decreased, Mr. Speaker. All good things. It makes you wonder why the GNWT isn't do more? Oh, but they are, Mr. Speaker. On page 136 of the business plans, they're actually reviewing the regulations, Mr. Speaker. If you go to the mandate, the second bullet on page 5 sorry, page 5 on the fifth bullet, it points out that they want to continue the implementation of things like the Missing, Murdered, and Indigenous Women's Call to Inquiry, and 7.4 of that inquiry also talks about engaging the teachings of midwifery.
Mr. Speaker, I can't tell you any more than the fact it's that simple. Midwifery works, and we'll talk about why it's so important later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife South.
