Your Support Team

Choosing Your Health Care Providers

Throughout this website you will see the term health care providers. It means doctors and midwives.

Facts and Stats

In January 1998, midwifery became a formal part of British Columbia’s health care system. On this website, the term midwife refers to Registered Midwives, as recognized by the College of Midwives of British Columbia.

The Medical Services Plan (MSP) in British Columbia covers the costs for doctors and midwives, but it will not pay for both a doctor and a midwife during your pregnancy. You will need to select one or the other. Midwives can provide care for normal, low‑risk pregnancies in hospital or at home.

For more information about midwifery, visit the BC College of Midwives website.

How can you find health care providers?
Choosing your health care providers
  • Ask another health care provider for recommendations
  • Call the College of Physicians and Surgeons, College of Family Physicians, or College of Midwives (for contact information, click here)
  • Ask friends for recommendations
  • Call your hospital for a list of health care providers accepting new patients

You should visit your health care provider before you decide to become pregnant. However, if you are already pregnant, it is important to have early and regular visits with your health care provider. You can also read about pregnancy care and making a healthy baby at the HealthLink BC website (use “pregnancy” as your search term).

To Do

Some questions to ask when choosing your health care providers:

  • Do they work with women who are pregnant?
  • What are their policies regarding phone calls, home visits, on‑call coverage?
  • What is the length and frequency of office visits?
  • Will they be available when you are ready to give birth?
  • What are your choices for place of birth?
  • Are they open to working with you regarding your birth wishes, such as support people, birth positions, and pain control choices?
  • Do they have any routine procedures?
  • Will they support you in breastfeeding?

Write down any questions you may want to discuss with your health care provider.

Once you know who will be on your health care support team, record their contact information and keep it in a safe and easy‑to‑access place.