Midwifery & Maternity Care

Following the dedication of her doctoral and postdoctoral research to the study of midwifery integration, Dr. Bourgeault was invited to collaborate with colleagues across the globe to advance knowledge of the profession from a comparative perspective. She has continued to include midwifery case studies in her health worker migration and workplace mental health projects. She has also joined teams to examine broader maternity and reproductive care policy issues.
Midwifery
Key Publications:
- Neiterman, E., Lawford, K. & Bourgeault, I.L. (2023). Midwives. In I.L. Bourgeault (Ed), Introduction to Health Occupations in Canada. Canadian Health Workforce Partners, Inc.: Ottawa.
- Thiessen, K., Benoit, C., Atanackovic, J., Neiterman, E., Gregory, K., Akuamoah-Boateng, H., Freeman, A., Mellor, A. and Bourgeault, I. (2024). Midwives’ Pathways from Health to Leaves of Absence and Return to Work: Findings from a pan-Canadian Study. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice, 23(1), pp.54-66. https://www.cjmrp.com/index.php/cjmrp/article/view/28
- Atanackovic, J., Demers, C., Freeman, A, R., Neiterman, E., Benoit, C., Thiessen, K. & Bourgeault, I. (2021). Leaves of Absence and Return to Work among Canadian Midwives who Experience Mental Health Issues: Pilot Study Findings. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research and Practice.20(2) 23-
- Leslie, K., Benoit, C., Freeman, A., & Bourgeault, I. (2021). Advancing Regulatory Coordination: The Regulatory Amalgamation for Nursing and Midwifery in British Columbia. Health Reform Observer, 9(1), 1-13 https://mulpress.mcmaster.ca/hro-ors/article/view/4510
- Bourgeault, I.L., Neiterman, E. & LeBrun, J., (2011). Midwives on the Move: Comparing the Requirements for Practice and Integration Contexts for Internationally Educated Midwives in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. Midwifery, 27(3), 368-375 Special Issue on the Maternity Care Workforce.
- Bourgeault, I.L. Sutherns, R., MacDonald, M., & Luce, J. (2012). Problematising public and private work spaces: Midwives' work in hospitals and in at home and in homes. Midwifery, 28(5), 582-590.
- Bourgeault, I.L., Luce, J., & MacDonald, M. (2006) The caring dilemma in midwifery: balancing the needs of midwives and clients in a continuity of care model of practice. Community, Work and Family. 9(4), 389-406.
Selected Presentations:
- Bourgeault, I.L., Cecilia Benoit, Gene Declercq, Jane Sandall, Edwin van Teijlingen (2017). Centralization of Birth Settings: Worrying Developments Affecting the Role of Midwives in the Social Organization of Maternity Care, Symposium presentation, 31st ICM Triennial Congress, Toronto, Canada, June 18 – 22.
- Bourgeault, I.L. You can’t just be a little bit pregnant: A system’s view of midwifery policy and practice in Canada. Graduate School of Public Policy, Regina Oct. 15, 2014.
Maternity Care
Key Publications:
- Chamberland-Rowe, C., Lawford, K., James, Y., Campbell, E. & Bourgeault, I. L. (2021). Who provides maternity care? Variations in the Maternity Workforce. In J. Sandall (Ed.), FIGO Continuous Textbook of Women’s Medicine - Volume 1: Pregnancy and society. London, United Kingdom: Global Library of Women’s Medicine.
- Thiessen, K., Witt, J., Peden, A., Haworth-Brockman, M., Nickel, N., Morris, M., Robinson, K., Bourgeault, I. and Derksen, S., (2021). Understanding the Limitations of Maternity Cost Studies: Why Context Matters. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research & Practice, 20(2).
- Thiessen, K., Haworth-Brockman, M., Nickel, N., Morris, M., Robinson, K., Bourgeault, I., & Derksen, S. (2020). Maternity Service Delivery in Manitoba, Canada: A Retrospective Analysis of Three Maternity Care Provider Types. Canadian Journal of Midwifery Research & Practice, 19(1), 6-19.
- Hedden, L., Munro, S. McGrail, K., Law, M., Bourgeault, I.L. & Barer, M., (2019) Is Attending Birth Dying Out? Trends in Obstetrical Care Provision Among Primary Care Physicians in British Columbia, Canada. Canadian Family Physician. 65(12):901-909. DOI: 10.1370/afm.2366
- Najafizada, M., Potter, B., Bourgeault, I.L., Labonte, R. (2019). Maternal and child health performance of a national Community Health Workers program using large administrative databases: a quantitative case study of Afghanistan. Journal of Global Health Reports, 3, 1-10 doi: 10.29392/joghr.3.e2019061
- Darling, L. Lawford, K., Wilson, K., Kryzanaukas, M., & Bourgeault, I.L. (2018) Distance from home birth to emergency obstetrical services and neonatal outcomes: A cohort study. Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health October
- Bourgeault, I.L., & Darling, L. (2008) Crossing Boundaries in Canadian Maternity Care: Barriers and Facilitators to Collaborative Practice. In E. Kuhlman & Mike Saks (Eds.), Rethinking Governance, Remaking Professions: International Directions in Health Care. The Polity Press: Bristol. (pp. 95-110)
Selected Presentations: