B.C.’s College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) is warning parents about people illegally practicing midwifery after issuing four public notices about people engaging in the practice.
“These unauthorized providers do not have the same training, experience, and access to life-saving medications and equipment as midwives, nor integration with hospitals for emergency care if needed, resulting in significant risks to the health and safety of birthing persons and their babies,” the college told Glacier Media in a statement.
“The majority of incidents reported include serious outcomes including fetal and neonatal deaths, serious neonatal injury, and harm to the birthing person,” the college said.
The college recognizes some pregnant people consider choosing unauthorized providers or unassisted births for a variety of reasons.
“We strongly encourage them to review our public notice to ensure they have the information they need to make safe and informed birth choices, and to work with a registered midwife for a safe at-home birth,” the college said.
The public notices
The college issued the notices Dec. 11.
The college said it had received reports that Annick Meckes of Campbell River, Janice Lim Hing of the Greater Vancouver area and Madison Desjarlais, also of the Vancouver region, held themselves out as birth attendants and may be offering midwifery services and performing restricted activities as set out in the provincial Midwives Regulation, without being permitted to do so.
The college said it received reports that Jacqueline Soule of Fort St. John, B.C., has held herself out as a midwife or student midwife and may be offering midwifery services and performing restricted activities without being permitted to do so.
The college said none of the four have ever been registered and are not entitled to practice as midwives in B.C.
Complaints
The college told Glacier Media it has received some 15 reports in the past 18 months of incidents involving people providing unauthorized midwifery services and/or unauthorized use of that title which is reserved for college registrants.
“We are currently investigating eight individuals across the province who are believed to be providing unauthorized midwifery services,” the college said. “In addition, we are investigating three other incidents wherein we have not yet been advised of the providers’ names.”
The college noted it doesn’t know just how many unauthorized practitioners are active in the province.
“We expect the number is far greater than those we are aware of,” it said. “We receive reports from physicians, nurses, midwives, family members, and members of the public, and actively investigate all reports.”
Indigenous midwives and doulas
The college also recognizes the province’s Indigenous midwives.
The college said such people work within the regulated system alongside all midwives, and that all midwives are expected to provide culturally safe care for their Indigenous clients.
“BCCNM fully supports the autonomy of traditional Indigenous midwifery including integration into the health-care system as a part of ongoing reconciliation and restoration of Indigenous birthing practices,” the college said.
For more information on Indigenous midwifery in Canada, see the National Council of Indigenous Midwives and the Midwives Association of BC.
The college said it recognizes doulas, non-medical companions who can provide support physically and emotionally throughout childbirth.
“Doulas provide physical and emotional support to birthing people during labour and birth while a regulated health professional such as a midwife or physician provides clinical care,” the college said, while stressing doulas are not permitted to perform clinical care, including managing labour, performing assessments and delivering the baby.
“To do so would constitute unauthorized practice of midwifery,” the college said.
Reporting unauthorized practice
Anyone aware of unauthorized practitioners is asked to report them to the college. It said it is in a position to take action against such individuals, including:
• demanding an individual stop using a protected title or providing unauthorized midwifery services;
• publishing public notices to warn the public about specific individuals it believes are providing unauthorized midwifery services; and,
• taking legal action to prohibit an individual from using the title of midwife or providing unauthorized midwifery services.
