VANCOUVER — Investing in midwives is the right thing to do, and the B.C. Liberals should stop standing in the way of the expansion of these services, say the New Democrats.

“Midwives are tremendous assets to our health care system. They provide expert care during normal pregnancies and births, and take pressure off our overloaded health care system by reducing the cost of this care,” said New Democrat spokesperson for health Judy Darcy. “It’s a wise economic decision.”

Midwives save the health system money by performing more home births, decreasing hospital stays, and delivering fewer babies by C-section.

“For people who live outside urban centres, midwives can also bring specialized maternity care to their communities. Expanding these services would mean greater access to care for women in rural and First Nations communities,” said Darcy.

As an integral part of a multi-disciplinary health care team, midwives play an important role in primary and community-based health services.

“This is a perfect example of how preventive health initiatives can provide both better outcomes and cost savings,” said Darcy.

“Investing in the expansion of our midwife services is an investment in both the health of women and families, and our health care system.”