Alberta midwives are funded and licensed by the province, and there aren't enough of them, a professional group says. (CBC)Growing demand and a short supply of licensed midwives are leading many Alberta women to use unregistered birth assistants, according to the group that represents the profession in the province.

With only about 50 licensed midwives in Alberta, nine out of 10 pregnant women looking for one are turned away, said Jane Baker, president of the Alberta Association of Midwives.

And many women are paying as much as $3,500 for what she called a risky alternative — an unlicensed midwife.

"I understand people's desperation sometimes," Baker said. "It's just I would really like them to consider their safety and the safety of their children.

Alberta's minister of health said the province is aware of the association's concerns, and is investigating reports of unregistered midwives delivering babies.

"What we need to do is take a very, very close look at how the supply-demand equation is working out. I have always been a supporter of properly licensed midwifery in the province," said Gene Zwozdesky, adding that anyone considering using a midwife should do some checking first.

The minister said he did not know how many unlicensed midwives are working in the province or what has been done about the few cases that have been reported.

But Baker said she is aware of at least three working in the province, and believes there are many more.

Alberta Health is responsible for funding, registering and investigating complaints about midwives.

The standard qualification is a four-year university degree, something available in Ontario and B.C., but not yet in Alberta. Mount Royal University in Calgary plans to offer a program in 2011.

The province will grant more licences next year as part of a three-year plan worked out with the midwives association, Baker said.

By April 2011, Alberta will pay for 500 more "courses of care" per year, which means all the services a midwife performs, from the start of a pregnancy to six weeks after the child is born. Each midwife is restricted to performing 40 courses of care per year.

But even with the additional funding, there won't be enough legitimate practitioners to meet the demand in Alberta, partly because a new midwife requires a lot of one-on-one training and supervision, she said.

"You can't just throw a midwife into Lethbridge and expect her to succeed."