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Maternity in Canada
By Viviane Rosa | Sotaque Brasileiro, # 5, Summer 2004
Canada is a country that receives many immigrants. The Brazilian community is still not considered very significant; according to the Consulate General in Toronto, the estimate of Brazilians across the country is only about ten thousand people. This statistic has been growing and each year more little Brazilian-Canadians are being born, growing up and establishing roots here. Despite acquiring a long-awaited citizenship, their heredity is very Brazilian. The insecurities of parents are often the same - many moms and dads seek information about how childbirth happens here...
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UmA fusion of feelings involve people when they first arrive in Canada. The fact that they emigrated, left their family in Brazil, are now living with a new language and must adapt culturally in a land other than their own generates various hopes and fears. But when along with this entire confusing and life-changing process occurs a pregnancy, fears and uncertainties also arise. To reassure some anxious parents, Sotaque Brasileiro compiled information via research and interviews about this special moment.
Nowadays, besides the important addition of the presence of the father during childbirth, moms in Canada can rely on the presence of another person during the birth. There is the option of having a family member, a friend or even the assistance of a Doula. Doulas are women who stay at the mother's side, with no obligation to provide medical or obstetric aid, only biological aid. They also provide an emotional and psychological support before, during and after delivery, especially for immigrants who have no relatives in Canada. To have the company of the Doula it is necessary to consult with the health system in the province about their availability, as well as information about the midwives registered in the city. In some parts of Canada there are Maternity Homes, buildings that look more like nursing homes and are decorated in a manner familiar to moms to make them feel as comfortable as possible. In these places it is common for births to occur in the presence of Doulas and Midwives.
Across Canada, health care is free. Patients do not spend money on doctors, tests and hospitalizations. Hospital accommodation is in a ward or in a double room with a telephone and personal bathroom. Some hospitals even offer private rooms with a bed for a companion, but there will be a cost. Remember that some companies offer their employees and their families a health plan covering certain extra expenses such as hospital admissions and purchasing medicine.
Another interesting aspect that extends to all the provinces is the wide selection of programs aimed at pregnant mothers and babies. Hospitals encourage previous visits so the parents familiarize themselves with the route to the obstetrical or delivery sector. There is still an interview process to detect potential problems in the family, such as hereditary diseases, depression or drug allergies. In the interview they will probe on the family environment, looking for details to the kind of life the child will be born into, and checking out risk factors. Pregnant women receive all the assistance and counseling, often with their partner. Some hospitals organize lectures, breastfeeding classes and pre-natal courses so parents can understand the childbirth procedures and follow the steps of a healthy pregnancy.
Unlike Brazil, where in 2003 the rate of caesareans in public hospitals was 25% of births and 80% in the private sector, the practice of vaginal delivery is more encouraged in Canada. Many doctors believe that surgery should be the last resort, only to be performed when there is risk to mother or baby. A survey by the World Health Organization reveals that in Canada and in the United States, 97% of births take place in hospitals and 7% of births are attended by midwives or obstetric nurses, and 2% of these occur at home.
Anywhere in the world childbirth raises many questions and expectations. Although there are some cultural differences, several of the procedures performed here are similar to the ones in Brazil. In the Brazilian system there are huge differences in service between the public and private network. In Canada the health care system is homogeneous for all people and everything is offered free to all residents.
However, the experiences of Brazilian families that had their children here tell us that both in Canada and in Brazil the most important factor during pregnancy is to follow medical guidelines, carry out prenatal care, regular checkups, respect one's limits and be well focused and confident for the new baby's arrival. For the interviewees, the arrival of a new baby brings many plans and they all agree that the fact that their children will be born in Canada will mean a lot to them in the future. "Our children have the disadvantage of not being able to play in the parks all year around due to this long winter we have here, but they have a citizenship that opens the doors to the whole world," says a couple from Minas Gerais.
In Ontario:
Doulas: www.canadiandoulas.com
Association of Ontario Midwives Phone: 4164259974 www.aom.on.ca
Ministry of Health: Midwifery in Ontario
www.gov.on.ca / MOH / English / pub / women / midwife / html
In Quebec:
B.P. 354, Station Cote-des-Neiges, (514) 738-8090 (514) 738-0370 (FAX) Montreal, PQ H3s 2S6 Email: sages.femmes.qc @ sympatico.ca
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