Sage Thomas (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

MATERNITY CARE

Midwives ready to help ease Kamloops maternity care crisis

Jan 9, 2026 | 5:24 PM

KAMLOOPS — The city of Kamloops and much of the region have been struggling in the area of pre- and post-natal care. Interior Health recently hired a pair of new OB-GYNs at Royal Inland Hospital, but it came after the departure seven others. The Thompson Region Family Obstetrics clinic is also set to close this year.

There are currently around 12 midwifes practicing in the Kamloops area, caring for mothers going through mainly low-risk pregnancies. With maternity care challenges in the region, an expanded scope for midwifery in B.C. could help ease some pressures through the healthcare sector by offering care around women’s health outside of pregnancy.

“If we are able to be able to support people in rural communities — or just in general with general women’s health, pap screening and stuff like that,” said Sage Thomas, a midwife with Might Oak Midwifery. “Typically within our midwifery care, we are able to provide that support when people are pregnant and in the postpartum period up to about eight weeks. But if we had expansion in our scope, then we would be able to provide that care and alleviate some other healthcare providers beyond pregnancy.”

Interior Health stated Thomas is the only current registered Indigenous midwife in British Columbia to graduate and serve her home community. She also cares for multiple Indigenous communities throughout the region. Bringing childbirth back into community is incredibly special for Thomas.

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“There was this huge disruption with the residential schools and losing culture and language,” said Thomas. “And even with the medical system in general, traditionally we had midwives in our community and we had births at home and we had aunties and family members who would come and support people when they were having their babies. There has been this huge shift over several generations now, and now we are able to have more Indigenous midwives across the province, across the nation and supporting language and culture in birth.”