Our Projects
We conduct collaborative, community-based research focused on pregnancy and birth care in New Brunswick, including out of hospital birth, DIPV and the development of the New Brunswick Midwifery program. We have also conducted research on domestic and intimate partner violence (DIPV) and have growing national and international research collaborations. Our new research focuses on out of hospital birth, including unassisted/unattended birth.
Current Projects
Birthing Outside the System: Unregulated Birth Care in the Atlantic Region
Funded by the President’s Research and Creative Activities Fund, this exploratory project aims to gain greater understanding of the magnitude of unregulated pregnancy and birth work in the Atlantic region, and to assess the relationship between regulated and unregulated forms of care.
Conceptions & Care: Birth Justice and Midwifery in New Brunswick
(funded by SSRHC Insight Development Grant)
Conceptions and Care is an institutional ethnography project exploring the creation and establishment of midwifery care in New Brunswick and applies an intersectional analysis centered on birth justice to this specific case model.
The core objectives of this research project are to understand:
How birth/reproductive care are conceptualized by healthcare policy makers, administrators, practitioners, and political actors in the province of New Brunswick
How these ideas are evident in the development, implementation, and provision of reproductive healthcare policy in the province
What the impacts of these conceptualizations of birth/reproductive care are on systems, individuals, and families in New Brunswick
Past Projects
Delivering Care Conference
June 5-7, 2024 at Mount Allison University This two-day forum brought will bring together birth care advocates, practitioners, and researchers together to discuss birth care provision in the Atlantic provinces. The central goal of the proposed forum is was to foster stronger regional networks around birth care, connecting researchers, practitioners, and advocates
Myths & Misconceptions Survey
The Myths & Misconceptions Survey gathered information on public knowledge and understanding of pregnancy and birth care in New Brunswick. Data collection is now complete and we are analyzing the findings in collaboration with the Maritime SPOR Support Unit (MSSU).
DIPV Project
DIPV Needs Assessment MacDougall, C., & Johnston, K. (2022) We conducted a needs assessment of policies, services and supports for those who had previously experienced domestic or intimate partner violence (DIPV) in New Brunswick. We spoke with those who had experienced DIPV and with service providers in the province. The work was undertaken in collaboration with the New Brunswick South Central Transition House and Second Stage Coalition, Crossroads for Women, and the New Brunswick Multicultural Council.
The core objectives of this research project were to:
Identify the needs of those experiencing intimate partner violence, including non-status, refugee, and immigrant women
Evaluate existing policies and practices in order to identify systemic gaps and barriers to accessing services and supports
Inform policy development and policy change, including the development of a provincial framework to address IPV.
We can be reached by Email Krista krjohnston@mta.ca - Email Christiana cmacdougall@mta.ca [Download PDF]
Service User Experiences of Midwifery care
Fredericton Midwifery Centre
Project Summary:
This project took place from 2017 to 2020. At that time, in New Brunswick, midwifery services were offered through a Demonstration Project run out of Horizon Health in Fredericton, NB. Our research reflected on the successes and challenges of this demonstration initiative, contributed to existing literature on midwifery and client satisfaction, and developed new insights into qualitative aspects of the midwifery-client relationship. Our findings are useful to those developing polices and clinical practices regarding midwifery services in New Brunswick and beyond.
Report for New Brunswick Families for Midwives [PDF download]
This report details client experiences of seeking and accessing midwifery care through the Fredericton Midwifery Centre.