Birthing tubs at Yellowknife's Stanton hospital still not operational

It's been a year and nine months since the grand opening of the new Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, and the birthing tubs in the hospital's highly-anticipated birthing suites are still not operational.

The tubs were supposed to be among the new services offered at the new hospital when it opened in May 2019.

The birthing rooms were designed in consultation with midwifery staff from Fort Smith, N.W.T. Being submerged in warm water during labour is known to help with relaxation and pain relief.

In November, after sitting unused for nearly a year and half, the N.W.T. Health and Social Services Authority announced that the tubs would be operational for women to use during labour by the end of December 2020. 

Officials said the initial issue with using the tubs was that there was no policy developed on their use, and staff had not been trained on how to use them.

In an email to CBC Monday, a spokesperson for the health authority, David Maguire said there has been another "delay."

The tubs are now scheduled to be operational by Feb. 15, but women can only use them during labour, not delivery.

"Through the staff training process, we identified a need for further examination of the equipment and process, including further training that needs to be in place," Maguire wrote.

He said mothers can also only use the tubs if they meet certain criteria, including being pregnant with only one baby, which must already be in the head-down position, and has a normal heart rate.

The mother must also be able to move and walk independently. 

There is still no word on when expectant mothers will be able to use the tubs for a water birth.