Province conceiving birthing centres

Ontario is creating two birthing centres – but doesn’t know where, yet.

Premier McGuinty says it’ll give expectant mothers more choice in where they have their babies. He says it’s also part of a plan to move routine procedures out of hospitals and into the community.

“We think it’s important to create a new option an additional option and that option is a birthing centre an option for mum to go there and be cared for by a midwife outside of the hospital setting and in a setting that’s a little bit more formal than a home but not so formal that it is kind of a foreign environment.”

The Liberals are examining ways to lower health-care spending, which accounts for nearly half of every dollar the government spends.

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