Midwifery Clinics in Toronto
When someone becomes pregnant, they have a choice between an obstetrician, midwife (and sometimes a family doctor) to provide obstetrical during their pregnancy.
Because it can be quite difficult to get a midwife in Toronto, I often ask newly pregnant people if they’ve thought about their obstetrical care provider. For those who may be low-risk or are considering a midwife, I recommend applying to a clinic straight away. An appointment would be granted if a collective has a midwife available for your birth.
The first appointment is typically a “get to know you” session, so you can learn more about midwifery care in Ontario, and how a midwife can support your during pregnancy and the first 6 weeks postpartum. If you decide not to proceed with a midwife, your family doctor can send a referral for an obstetrician (usually you would meet them around 20 weeks of gestation).
Working with a Midwife
Midwives are part of the Ontario healthcare system as their services are completely funded by the government. They support low-risk pregnancies. Midwives are on call, and provide primary care services for routine obstetric and newborn care.
If a health condition occurs in pregnancy that they are not able to manage, then a person would be transferred to obstetrical care.
Content of midwifery visits
In the first few visits, your midwives will get to know you and your concerns, birthing plans, etc. You are able to have a hospital birth with a midwife, or you can deliver at a birth centre (like the Toronto Birth Centre) or at home.
At each visit, blood pressure is monitored, along with weight, your baby’s growth (ex. symphysis fundal height measurement (SFH) - top of your pubic bone to the top of your uterus), baby’s heart rate, and position.
Midwives will organize routine imagining (ex. first trimester scan, second trimester anatomy scan, etc.), lab tests (ex. gestational diabetes test), and genetic screening.
Timing of midwifery visits
First visit is usually 10-12 weeks (this may vary based on the collective)
Monthly until 28 weeks
Every 2 weeks between 28-36 weeks
Weekly after 36 weeks, continued until birth
Visit 24 hours after birth (home or hospital)
Home visits in the first week
Clinic visits at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postpartum
My Experience
I had midwives for my pregnancies and births. I was pregnant during Covid and so appointments were a bit different - appointments were held on the phone/video and then an in-person appointment was done shortly after (usually the next day) for the physical components of the visit (ex. blood pressure, listening to the heartbeat, measuring SFH, etc.).
Pertinent lab results were sent to my family doctor or others when indicated, who would manage me separately for particular conditions.
I chose to delivery at the hospital, and was still able to get an epidural (by an Anesthesiologist on staff), and when I was induced, I also had an OB monitor me alongside my midwife.
One of my births was a cesarean, and I had a transfer of care to the OB on call. My midwife stayed with me throughout the surgery, and returned to the hospital shortly after to check on me and my baby. Once I was discharged, a few more appointments occurred at home, until I was back at the clinic.
My experience was essentially the same for my VBAC, received an epidural and was induced and had an OB monitor that with my midwife, I was discharged a few hours later. I was able to have my Pap done at my discharge appointment which was nice (or as nice as a Pap can be).
List of Midwifery Clinics in Toronto
North York
Black Creek Community Health Centre
Address: 2202 Jane Street
Phone Number: (416) 249-8000
Catchment Area: North York Area
Hospital Privileges: Unsure, likely Humber River Hospital
Notes: It was difficult to find information about this clinic in particular, and how to apply to it. They may have midwives from West End Midwives that work out of this particular clinic. They also offer free weekly prenatal groups, which people can register for online.
Midwifery Care North Don River Valley
Address: 4576 Yonge Street, Unit 408
Website: https://www.midwiferycare-ndrv.com/
Catchment Area: North Toronto, North York, Vaughan, Woodbridge, Thornhill and Richmond Hill
Hospital Privileges: North York General Hospital
REACH Midwives
Address: 1275 Finch Avenue West, but walk-in clinic at a different address.
Email: info@reachmidwives.ca
Catchment Area: Walk in clinic at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services (761 Jane Street, 2nd floor)
Hospital Privileges: None. Contraception insertion done at the Toronto Birth Centre.
Notes: REACH Midwives provides pregnancy-related care and care for uninsured newborns at their walk-in clinic (location above), with no referral necessary. REACH Midwives do not deliver babies or provide intrapartum care.
This clinic provides IUD and Nexplanon implant insertion, but a referral is needed from midwife, obstetricians, family doctor, etc.
Uptown Midwives and Family Wellness
Address: 3424 Bathurst Street
Phone Number: 416-725-8022
Website: https://www.uptownmidwives.ca/
Catchment Area: Not specified.
Hospital Privileges: North York General Hospital
Notes: I believe there is a birth centre at this particular clinic.
West End Midwives
Address: 1275 Finch Avenue West, Suite #807
Phone Number: 416-792-5665
Website: https://www.westendmidwives.ca/
Catchment Area: Rexdale, Etobicoke and West Toronto
Hospital Privileges: Humber River Hospital & Etobicoke General Hospital
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Farsi, Punjabi, Gujarati, and Hindi
Etobicoke
Midwife Alliance
Address: 166 The Queensway
Phone Number: 416-534-9161
Website: https://midwifealliance.ca/
Catchment Area: None listed.
Hospital Privileges: St. Joseph's Health Centre
Midwives of Mississauga
Address: 101 – 2227 South Millway
Phone Number: 905-596-9995
Website: https://www.midwivesofmississauga.ca/
Catchment Area: North of the 401, South to Lake Ontario, East to the 427/Browns Line and West to Milton (but not Oakville). They have a map here.
Hospital Privileges: Trillium Health Partners – Credit Valley Hospital
Toronto
Community Midwives of Toronto
Address: 344 Bloor Street West, Suite 201
Phone Number: 416-944-9366
Website: https://www.communitymidwivesoftoronto.ca/
Catchment Area: North to Highway 401; West to Islington Ave and East to Victoria Park
Hospital Privileges: St. Michael’s Hospital
Languages Spoken: English, French and Farsi
Kensington Midwives
Address: 340 College St.
Phone Number: 416-928-9777
Website: https://kensingtonmidwives.ca/
Catchment Area: North to the 401, South to Lake Ontario, East to Victoria Park and West to the Humber River
Hospital Privileges: St. Joseph’s Health Centre
Midwives Collective of Toronto
Address: 1203 Bloor Street West
Phone Number: 416-963-8842
Website: https://midwivescollective.ca/
Catchment Area: North to the 401, South to Lake Ontario, East to Woodbine Avenue, and West to Royal York Road
Hospital Privileges: Mount Sinai
MATCH (Midwifery and Toronto Community Health)
Address: 955 Queen St. East
Phone Number: 416-461-2493
Website: https://www.srchc.ca/programs/community-health/match-midwifery-and-toronto-community-health/
Catchment Area: East Toronto and West Scarborough
Hospital Privileges: Michael Garron Hospital
Languages Spoken: English, Cantonese, French, Tagalog and Gujarati, interpretation is available
Notes: Requesting care needs to be done via phone during business hours. Referrals are needed by clinical and non-clinical providers (ex. outreach workers, social workers, shelter staff)
The Midwives’ Clinic of East-York Don Mills
Address: 45 Overlea Blvd, Unit 200
Phone Number: 416-424-1976
Website: https://www.themidwivesclinic.ca/
Catchment Area: Steeles Ave south to Lake Ontario and east to Port Union Road and west to Kipling Avenue, but they do take clients beyond the stated catchment, as long as they are in the Greater Toronto Area
Hospital Privileges: Michael Garron Hospital
Languages Spoken: English, Arabic, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Riverdale Community Midwives
Address: 48 River Street
Phone Number: 416-922-4004
Website: https://riverdalemidwives.com/
Catchment Area: All of Toronto; Surrounding communities: Riverdale, Corktown, Regent Park, Cabbagetown, The Danforth, Lower and Upper Beaches, the Canary District, the Esplanade and the Distillery
Hospital Privileges: St. Michael’s Hospital
Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto
Address: 525 Dundas Street East
Phone Number: 416-530-7468
Website: https://www.sgmt.ca/
Catchment Area: City of Toronto, flexibility in catchment for Indigenous people
Hospital Privileges: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Scarborough
Diversity Midwives
Address: 10 Bimbrok Rd.
Phone Number: 416-609-8187
Website: https://www.diversitymidwives.com/
Catchment Area: Scarborough and the surrounding areas
Hospital Privileges: Scarborough Health Network
Sages-Femmes Rouge Valley Midwives
Address: 91 Rylander Blvd, Unit 1020
Phone Number: 416-286-2228 or 905-409-6447
Website: https://sagesfemmesrougevalleymidwives.com/
Catchment Area: Scarborough and West Durham (Pickering, Ajax and Whitby)
Hospital Privileges: Scarborough and Rouge Hospital – Centenary