Perinatal & Newborn Health

Safe Administration of Oxytocin – Evaluation Findings in Brief

In March 2023, PCMCH completed the evaluation of the Safe Administration of Oxytocin project in Ontario. A multi-pronged approach was used to determine the degree of uptake, effectiveness and utility of the Safe Administration of Oxytocin recommendations and tools. This included input from birthing hospitals, maternal-child health regional networks and data from Ontario’s Better Outcomes …

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2SLGBTQIA+ Inclusivity in Perinatal Care 

The perinatal period uniquely impacts the mental health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Previous or anticipated experiences of discrimination and invisibility, in addition to system-level inequities, can affect trust in perinatal healthcare providers and the broader healthcare system. These barriers can also impact equitable access to timely, quality healthcare, thereby contributing to poor physical and …

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Disability and Pregnancy

Nearly one in eight pregnancies in Ontario are to people with a disability; however, pregnancy care is not often structured to address their needs. In 2022, PCMCH collaborated with researchers from the University of Toronto to develop evidence-based resources to support healthy pregnancies, birthing experiences and postpartum outcomes for people with disabilities. These resources were …

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Standards of Postnatal Care

The Standards of Postnatal Care report was released in 2018 to articulate the standards of postnatal care for mothers/parents and newborns in the first seven days following birth. Approximately 140,000 babies are born in Ontario each year. With the trend towards earlier discharges and in the context of rising healthcare costs and constraints on resources, …

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COVID-19 Resources

PCMCH has developed resources to support patients, families and healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. PCMCH’s resources on this page include: general care guidelines for healthcare providers to standardize clinical care of pregnant or breastfeeding individuals and their newborns during the pandemic; webinars on a range of COVID-19-related subjects; and tools that will support decision-making …

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Safe Administration of Oxytocin

The Safe Administration of Oxytocin guideline report, developed by PCMCH in 2019, outlines best practice recommendations for the safe management of pregnant patients whose labour is induced or augmented with the medication oxytocin. The objective of the report is to reduce the risk of misuse and/or mismanagement of oxytocin by addressing risk factors that have contributed to …

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Perinatal Mental Health

Maintaining mental health is important to the well-being of pregnant and postpartum individuals. PCMCH’s Care Pathway for the Management of Perinatal Mental Health (July 2021) and accompanying Guidance Document (July 2021), support healthcare providers in identifying pregnant or postpartum patients who may be experiencing mental health issues, assess the severity of their symptoms, determine appropriate care …

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Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Substance use during pregnancy is a risk factor for negative pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Infants at risk for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) are also at increased risk for pre-term birth, low birth weight and intrauterine growth restriction. Substance use in pregnancy is also a marker for social and environmental risks that contribute to mental, physical …

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Low Risk Birth

The Clinical Handbook for Low Risk Birth aims to address the variation in caesarean section rates across the province in the low-risk patient, promote normal birth and improve patient outcomes by focusing on delivery of standardized evidence-informed practices. The Clinical Handbook for Low Risk Birth was originally developed as part of the Ontario Health System …

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