Statement made on 28 May 2009 by Senator Lucie Pépin (retired)
Hon. Lucie Pépin: Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate.
Canada is proud to have one of the best maternal and infant survival rates in the world. We must ensure that giving birth remains a positive experience. However, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) has pointed out a decline in the quality and scope of obstetrical care in Canada. The viability of the maternity care system is threatened by a shortage of doctors and nurses specializing in obstetrical care and also by the increase in multiple births, the older age of expectant mothers, the increase in premature births and regional disparity.
Can the Leader of the Government assure us that our government is aware of this situation and that the necessary measures will be taken so that Canadian women can give birth in safe and healthy conditions?
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