A photo posted on Facebook features Gloria Lemay, a resident of Duncan, B.C.
The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives is currently probing allegations against a self-proclaimed "childbirth activist" residing on Vancouver Island. Gloria Lemay is accused of offering unauthorized midwifery services, contravening a long-standing court order. Recent actions by BCCNM investigators, accompanied by RCMP officers, involved a search of Lemay's Duncan home. The operation yielded evidence linked to her ongoing illicit midwifery practices, as detailed in a public notice on the regulator's website.
The BCCNM, following the seizure of evidence, is poised to assess its contents and determine the subsequent actions against Ms. Lemay, as stated in their official notice. Legally, only individuals registered with the BCCNM, necessitating completion of an approved four-year undergraduate degree, are permitted to practice midwifery or assume the title of midwife in British Columbia.
Lemay, having never secured registration in the province, has a history of providing midwifery services in defiance of a "permanent court order" imposed in February 2000. Court documents reveal her continued performance of procedures such as "internal vaginal examinations, episiotomies, and amniotomies," in direct violation of the court order. Notably, episiotomies involve surgical incisions, and amniotomies entail the intentional rupture of a pregnant person's amniotic sack.
In January 2002, Lemay faced criminal contempt charges for participating in ten home births, each carrying a fee of $2,500. She was subsequently sentenced to five months in jail. Presently, Lemay's website, Wise Woman Way of Birth, labels her as a "birth attendant" and "midwifery educator." However, the use of such titles is regulated under B.C.'s Health Professions Act, making them unauthorized without proper registration.
The BCCNM has intensified efforts to address unauthorized midwifery, issuing multiple notices, including one in November emphasizing the inherent risks associated with non-registered midwives. Unregistered practitioners lack malpractice insurance, access to critical medications and equipment, and integration with hospitals.
CTV News has sought Lemay's comments on the ongoing investigation and the search of her residence, but no response has been received at the time of reporting. The college remains focused on its inquiries into unauthorized midwifery incidents, with concerns raised about tragic outcomes, including fetal and neonatal deaths.
