Choosing a Health Care Provider

In Ontario, you can choose an obstetrician, family physician, registered midwife or Aboriginal midwife to care for you in pregnancy and attend your birth, though choices may be limited in some communities. Some nurse practitioners and registered nurses provide prenatal and postnatal care also.

Each type of care provider has their own scope of practice and on-call schedule. It's best to start prenatal care as early as possible and to find a care provider that's the right match for your needs. Your care provider's hospital privileges determine which hospital you'd go to and some of your options like choice of birth place are dependent on whether you're with a midwife or not. If you're interested in a birth centre or home birth, find out early whether that is an option with your health care provider. Do not hesitate to see more than one provider before you decide what's best for you.

Here are some resources that can help you make your choice including information on the scope of practice and roles of each provider, and questions to consider when making your choice.

Choosing and finding your health care provider

• Toronto Public Health - Prenatal care, choosing a provider, and scheduling your first visit

• Alliance for Healthier Communities - Aboriginal Health Access Centres

• Alliance for Healthier Communities – healthcare for diverse communities

• Black Health – sharing our voices for our health

• Women’s Health in Women’s Hands – Primary Health Care

• Prenatal Appointment - Common Topics to Discuss with Your Health Care Provider

• Rainbow Health Ontario service provider directory (search ‘pregnancy’)

Obstetrician-Gynaecologists

• SOGC - Pregnancy info: Before you conceive / Choosing a healthcare provider

Ontario Midwives

• Association of Ontario Midwives – What is a midwife?

• Association of Ontario Midwives - Informed choice

• Ontario Midwives - Find Indigenous/Aboriginal Midwifery programs in Ontario

• Ontario Midwives - Find Midwifery Practice Groups in your area

 Family Physicians