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HealthInfo Canterbury

Midwives

Midwives provide maternity care for women from early pregnancy until four to six weeks after birth. More than 90% of women in New Zealand have a midwife as their lead maternity carer (LMC).

Midwives work in a variety of settings.

The Canterbury DHB's primary birthing units are in Lincoln, Rangiora, Ashburton and Kaikōura.

Finding a midwife

Find Your Midwife is an online database of members of the New Zealand College of Midwives. It lists profiles that include availability and contact details.

The Midwifery Resource Centre offers a drop-in service for women and their families looking for pregnancy and childbirth information. A midwife is available from 12 noon to 2 pm on most weekdays to answer questions and provide advice.

You can call the Midwifery Resource Centre on (03) 365-2789. You can also leave a message on their answerphone and someone will call you back as soon as possible.

Qualifications and training

All midwives have a Bachelor of Midwifery degree, followed by mentoring from a senior midwife in their first year of practice. Midwives also undertake continuing education every year to maintain their practising certificates.

Practising midwives register with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand, which regulates the sector. They can also join the New Zealand College of Midwives, which sets professional standards.

Midwives are reviewed every two years, with patient feedback contributing to their evaluation.

Use these feedback forms to provide feedback about a midwife.

What midwives do

During pregnancy, labour, birth and up to six weeks after your baby is born, your midwife:

Cost of seeing a midwife

Midwifery care in New Zealand is funded for New Zealand residents and other eligible women.

Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed January 2022.

Page reference: 262040

Review key: HIMDW-262040