Midwife groups and expectant parents are applauding a proposed midwifery degree program at Mount Royal College.
The Alberta Association of Midwives and the college are working together to create a program degree for as early as 2010, midwife Meryl Moulton said yesterday.
“It would be an incredible bonus for the entire province and a way to offer a homegrown program to women,” Moulton said. “We’re very excited.”
Moulton said a major issue is the fact there are only midwife programs in B.C. and Ontario, so women move away to complete the programs.
But another benefit would be to shorten the already lengthy waiting lists for midwives, MRC’s dean of faculty of health and community studies Brenda Hendrickson said.
“It would certainly help offer more women who want to have midwives the opportunity to. It’s very important,” she added.
First-time expecting mother Andrea Cronk, 31, said the program would help people like her.
“We haven’t been able to find a midwife and we’re on a waiting list. I just really hope we get one in time,” Cronk said.
“I think this program would be a really great initiative.”
