Perinatal Outcomes for Four Toronto Midwifery Practices: Exploring Best Practices for Normal Birth

Abstract

This study explores outcomes from four Toronto midwifery practices from 2003 to 2007, using data from the Midwifery Outcomes Database to look at similarities and differences between the practices and with provincial averages. The goals of our project included establishing a university/community partnership with the participating practices, which included Ryerson and McMaster University faculty members; improving capacity among midwives with using a provincial database; and producing a comprehensive perinatal outcomes report for midwifery practices that could be used for internal review and for presentation at interprofessional forums such as hospital rounds and interprofessional conferences.

A comparative analysis between the practices and with the provincial midwifery data showed several trends, including an increased incidence of late maternal age, low rates of intervention, and high rates of home birth. Our research raises questions about scope of practice and best practices for supporting normal birth.

This article has been peer reviewed.