Midwifery in Ontario: a survey of interest in services

Maternity care for women in Ontario is provided almost exclusively by physicians, the majority of whom are obstetricians. Using a self-administered questionnaire, pregnant women in one Ontario city were surveyed about their interest in midwifery care as an alternative to physician care. Although 3 percent of the women surveyed had used a midwife, 60 percent expressed an interest in midwifery care, particularly the counseling and support aspects. Over 11 percent showed an interest in complete primary midwifery care.