Publications by authors named "Melanie Murdock"
Article Synopsis
- Canada is identified as a settler colonial country, where reproductive healthcare is utilized to control Indigenous populations and perpetuate colonialism, especially through the role of settler midwifery.
- Historical analysis shows that Indigenous midwifery knowledge was marginalized, with settler midwives replacing traditional birth attendants and imposing Western birthing practices as the standard, thereby reinforcing colonial structures in midwifery education and care.
- Decolonizing midwifery requires addressing stereotypes, promoting Indigenous midwifery, and providing culturally sensitive care, ultimately aiming to support Indigenous women in reclaiming their birthing practices and leadership in reproductive healthcare.
Background: Indigenous Peoples living on the land known as Canada are comprised of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people and because of the Government of Canada's mandatory evacuation policy, those living in rural and remote regions of Ontario are required to travel to urban, tertiary care centres to give birth. When evaluating the risk of travelling for birth, Indigenous Peoples understand, evaluate, and conceptualise health risks differently than Eurocentric biomedical models of health. Also, the global COVID-19 pandemic changed how people perceived risks to their health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProviding Inclusive Midwifery Care for 2SLGBTQQIA+ People: Supporting Inclusion in Ontario's Midwifery Education Program.
J Midwifery Womens Health
February 2024
Introduction: Research on how midwives in North America are trained to provide inclusive care to Two Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, or Asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) clients is limited. The objective of this study was to define 2SLGBTQQIA+ inclusive midwifery care in the Canadian context and to explore the experiences of graduates of Ontario's Midwifery Education Program (MEP) to determine how midwives are trained to provide inclusive care.
Methods: Ethics approval was obtained for this qualitative study to perform semistructured interviews with graduates from the MEP hosted by McMaster, Toronto Metropolitan, and Laurentian University.