These cases are drawn from CCRIHC’s medical charts and patients experience. The Names of the victims and other identifying information appearing in our media has been changed to protect them from further harm. Many of them have suffered horribly on treacherous their refugee journeys and their lives may be still in danger.
When Sandra arrived to Canada 2 years ago, she came as a recruited domestic nanny from The Philippines. Her employer fired her 2 years later when they learned she was pregnant. Unable to find work, Ontario withdrew her OHIP. Now Sandra resides in a Scarborough shelter. She is unable to access medical care for her pregnancy and delivery, as she simply can’t afford it. In lieu, she is being provided pregnancy care by the midwives who support us.
The risks for prematurity and death for a mother and her newborn rises 7 fold when the mother is uninsured and new to the country. The social and health costs of raising a premature child to age 18 can approach a million dollars, sometimes more. The cost for antenatal pregnancy care is often less than a thousand dollars.
