Death of pregnant woman and her baby prompts call for Saskatchewan rural health changes

HEALTH Death of pregnant woman and her baby prompts call for Saskatchewan rural health changes By Tavi Dhillon & Grace Miller Global News Posted September 25, 2026 6:51 pm 3 min read View image in full screen Photo of Debbie Bear, the Meadow Lake Tribal Council leadership and Flying Dust First Nation leadership at a podium sharing Chelsea's story at a news conference. Grace Miller / Global News LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE Saskatchewan’s Opposition leader is calling on the province to investigate the death of a mother that Carla Beck claims was caused by lacking maternal care in rural areas. The NDP leader said the death of Chelsea Bear, a mother-of-five who sought maternal care for pain in Meadow Lake, was caused by a lack of available services in non-urban parts of Saskatchewan. Bear died while pregnant with twins, and only one of the infants survived. On Aug. 10 while experiencing pain and bleeding, Bear visited the Northwest Health Facility in Meadow Lake, located 300 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon — but was turned away, according to the Saskatchewan NDP. At the time, she was 36 weeks pregnant with the twins, and it was considered a high-risk pregnancy. Bear returned to the hospital the following day because her pain had intensified and was sent south to a hospital in Saskatoon. After waiting to be seen for hours, her placenta tore, which her family said caused a hemorrhage. STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT She died with one of the twins, who was stillborn, her family said. “Now that my daughter’s gone and the baby, I just want things to change in hospitals and how they treat people,” said Debbie Bear, Chelsea’s mother. As of Wednesday, the surviving twin named Gracie remained in critical condition at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. 1:57 Shortages seen in Regina and Saskatoon maternity wards Stick to the Facts Add Global News as a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our stories in your search results. Her family shared Bear’s story and is demanding an independent investigation into the care she received prior to her death – their request was backed at a news conference earlier this week by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC). Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. SIGN UP FOR WEEKLY…