Women's Options in Maternity Care & Birth

Women's Options in Maternity Care & Birth is a consumer advocacy group based in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada focusing on expanding options for expectant mothers in maternity care and birth. Currently Medicine Hat has no practicing midwives and, until recently, had only one practicing doula (professional labour assistant). (* See Find A Doula/Midwife )  The only "option" in maternity care in the city is a clinic staffed by obstetricians and general practioners. Women are patients of the clinic, not one particular physician.  Women only have a 1 in 4 chance of having a particular obstetrician or a 1 in 9 to 1 in 15 chance of having a particular general practictitioner attend their birth. Add in the fact that obstetrical intern(s) rotate every 6 weeks and one finds continuity of care largely lacking.

Fast Fact:  Maternity clinic physicians are staffed on a rotating schedule and cover a 24-hour shift during which they see patients with appointments, patients in labour, patients who have delivered and patients with urgent problems related to their pregnancy.

Fast Fact: Few women know that if they do find a physician that shares their birthing philosophy, they can request (directly) that he/she attend their birth.  90% of the time, they will.  Just ask!

WOMB was created to ensure that women in the Medicine Hat region have access to information regarding the various aspects of childbirth - midwifery, homebirth, drug-free pain management, other forms of pain relief, natural birthing methods, patient advocacy, the benefits of a doula attended birth, etc.  WOMB's vision is for every woman to have the knowledge they need to make the right choices to ensure the best possible birth experience for them.  WOMB acknowledges that every woman is different and every birth is different.  We understand that some women may not choose a medication free birth or a cesarean section may be unavoidable in certain emergency situation.  We support women in all of their birthing decisions and wish only to offer them the opportunity for informed choice.  Read more about the beginnings of WOMB in About Me.

If you would like to join WOMB, are interested in hosting an information session or would like a private consultation, please contact us via email or call (403) 488-7367 or (403) 528-7182. 

Let's work together to ensure all women have choices in childbirth!

Michelle Rimmel - Maisonville - President & Founder, WOMB

PLEASE NOTE:  All information expressed on the WOMB website and in our workshops, sessions, and/or consultations is to be used for informational purposes only.  We are not providing medical advice as we are not licensed medical professionals.  Therefore, we cannot be held liable for unforseen outcomes.