The need for maternity care is increasing quickly throughout British Columbia. As a result, pregnant women are unable to get critical health care. Hospitals have a hard time maintaining coverage for obstetric services. As a result, women such as Brittany King and Nicole Penner are left to figure out a confusing healthcare system thousands of miles away. Both women will be welcoming their babies within the next few weeks. This further underlines the existing critical issue of maternity specialist shortages across the province.
Brittany King looks forward to the arrival of her second set of twins later this month. She understands the urgency of a birth, having delivered her first twins in Prince George only minutes after arriving at the hospital. Nicole Penner is right now, 600 kilometres from her home in Kitimat. The only local hospital there is not able to provide the care she needs for her planned C-section delivery of twin infants. This increasing crisis underscores the critical issues that the obstetrics and gynecologists chapter of Doctors of B.C. It’s an alarm about the lack of maternity specialists, and it’s putting women’s lives at risk.
Staffing Challenges and Specialist Coverage
The University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George has managed to secure on-call OB/GYN specialists through August and September, bringing some relief to expectant mothers. A lot of women are still confused about where they should be having their babies. Penner’s confusion stems from Northern Health’s recent announcement regarding specialist coverage, leaving her unsure whether to contact the hospital or drive to Vanderhoof for assistance.
Dr. Peter Bosma, the executive medical director for Interior Health, said Kamloops has taken steps to fill the gaps in coverage. Yet in the aggregate, staffing remains a house of cards. The Ministry of Health has identified both Prince George and Kamloops as sites reaching critical staffing levels, with many communities statewide experiencing similar challenges.
“Women are having their children later in their lives. They are also having fewer babies. Therefore, more pregnancies are first-time births, and are more likely to have medical complications,” – Dr. Douglas Waterman
The president of the obstetrics and gynecology section of Doctors of B.C. paints a dire picture. All the recent closures dominating headlines result from doctors in these communities finding it impossible to meet competing health priorities.
The Impact on Expecting Mothers
The continued deficit of maternity specialists poses grave risks to women and babies who depend on immediate access to care. In the words of Brittany King, “It’s terrible. What can I tell you? She’s preparing for the unknowns of her impending delivery with real courage. Yet, at the same time, she’s trying to balance the rigors of caring for her first pair of twins.
Penner captured the fear and trepidation that so many expectant mothers experience in these instances. As she explained, “When you’re in labour, your brain can’t function like that. What if I don’t get to the hospital on time? Women experience increased levels of stress and anxiety while trying to manage a confusing healthcare system. This system is sorely tested by lack of resources.
Dr. Waterman underscores the increased pressures of providing obstetrical care. Over the last two to three decades, this field has ever increasingly become one of the most difficult, if not impossible, tasks. He reinforced the point that a thoughtful and sustainable system is the foundation for providing obstetrical care in all corners of the province.
“That did not happen by chance. We need a well-organized and sustainable system for delivering obstetrical care all around the province,” – A representative from the health sector
Moving Forward Amidst Uncertainty
The Ministry of Health has reported that many health professionals have expressed interest in relocating to British Columbia, indicating potential for future recruitment. Dr. Waterman cautioned that more physicians wouldn’t address burnout and job dissatisfaction in a crumbling system. We have to tackle the systemic root causes to make tangible change.
In the words of Dr. Waterman, “We are just starting to develop a new payment model. Beyond that, he noted, this effort is about improving the working conditions for maternity professionals. He equally emphasized his hope that continued dialogue would produce the necessary answers to alleviate the staffing crisis.
So expectant mothers such as King and Penner have to deal with uncertainty all the way up to their deliveries given how fluid the situation is. This underscores the immediate need for a systemic shift within B.C.’s maternity care structure.
