Birthing issues continue in northwest Alberta

Officials at Little Red River Cree Nation are still not satisfied with how expectant mothers in their communities are getting information on where babies can be born. Too many still seem to think an epidural is needed to give birth.

“People have been having babies for centuries and they don’t need an epidural,” said Dee Ladouceur, who works for LRRCN and started voicing concerns several months ago. Ladouceur  responded to the issue at a recent meeting in Fort Vermilion when it was raised again. “Having a baby is totally natural.”

Expectant mothers in Jean D’Or Prairie and Fox Lake (where there are 70 expectant mothers alone) are being told if they want an epidural, they must go to the Northwest Health Centre in High Level, the only hospital in the area that offers epidurals and caesarian section delivery.

Women can deliver their babies at the other area hospital, St. Theresa’s in Fort Vermilion, if they are classified as low or medium risk. The problem has been that all women from LRRCN, no matter what their risk classification, are being told to go to High Level and not that they can choose the hospital.

“The (True North Advisory Council) is unanimous that this is a choice issue and that women have the right to choose,” said Clark McAskile, who chaired the May 19 meeting in Fort Vermilion. “I’m appalled that women off the reserve are being treated as a second class citizen.”
The TNAC was one of a number of regional volunteer councils recently created by Alberta Health.

Statistics show that High Level and area has three times the caesarian section rate of the rest of the province. The cause has not been determined yet.

The use of midwives was raised as an option, but there are no midwives in the area.

An informal poll of the pregnant women in both Fox Lake and John D’Or Prairie showed most would prefer births in Fort Vermilion.

High Level and surrounding area has some of the highest birthrates in the province. Fox Lake is said to have the highest per capita birth rate in North America. Of all those births, most are in the St. Theresa’s service area.

There has been little new information on the status of the medevac services. Previously, there was a stated problem with the lack of a hangar at the Fort Vermilion airport. That concern was being addressed by LRRCN and Airborne Energy, the company with the contract. A site has been staked out but no construction has started.