The British Columbian College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) published a public advisory regarding a Campbell River woman operating as a midwife.
“Annick Meckes of Campbell River, B.C. has held herself out as a birth attendant in British Columbia and may be offering midwifery services and performing restricted activities and performing restricted activities as set out in the Midwives Regulation, without being permitted to do so,” reads the Dec. 11 advisory. “Annick Meckes has never been and is not a registrant of BCCNM and is not entitled to practise as a midwife in British Columbia.”
Meckes has been active in the Campbell River area since at least Feb. 3, 2023 under Matricaria Wellness Holistic Health and Birth Services, offering ‘sovereign health sessions,’ ‘sovereign pregnancy and birth sessions,’ ‘birth story integration sessions,’ and holistic postpartum support among others.
Sovereign pregnancy and birth refers to the practice of keeping the infant out of “mainstream society,” meaning no birth certificate or social security are issued, effectively leaving the child “stateless.” This differs from the term “free birth,” where birthing is usually unassisted by health care providers, but parent(s) will still get a birth certificate and so on. However, it is unclear at this time if this is the same definition Meckes was following. She may be only using the term as an advertising hook.
The email address and website on Meckes’ poster are no longer active. Campbell River Mirror efforts to contact Meckes were unsuccessful.
The BCCNM also released public advisories for three other women in the province, but in other communities.
READ MORE: B.C. regulator warns public of 4 women offering unlawful midwifery services
These public advisories follows an earlier report from Nov. 6 of this year, where the BBCNM said they received 13 reports of incidents in the last year and a half involving unregistered midwifery providers. In the 13 cases reported, babies or those carrying them were injured. In some cases, the baby died.
Registered midwifes need to complete a four-year undergraduate program and pass exams on a federal and provincial level. After those are completed they must register with the College of Nurses and Midwifes to be allowed to offer birthing services and call themselves a midwife.
READ MORE: ‘Tragic outcomes’: B.C. regulator warns against using unauthorized midwives
The BCCNM warned those who are not registered or authorized to practice might us “birth attendants,” “birth keepers” or “traditional midwifes,” in order to advertise themselves to the public. Only doulas can work outside BCCNM purview, due to them not providing any clinical care and focus on the emotional well-being of someone giving birth.
Unfortunately, if something does go wrong when using the services of unregistered and unauthorized ‘midwifes’, clients are unable to file complaints, grievances or recover any damages due to the so-called midwives not being under any regulatory college and don’t carry malpractice insurance.
