B.C. Parents Sue Prohibited Midwife for Alleged Botched Home Birth

A Vancouver Island couple is suing Gloria Lemay, a self-described childbirth activist banned from practicing midwifery, after an allegedly mishandled home birth led to injuries for their newborn son.

The Chemainus parents filed the lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court this week, claiming Lemay misrepresented herself as a qualified "birth attendant" and failed to disclose her decades-long prohibition from practicing midwifery. The incident, they say, forced an emergency hospital visit and left their baby with lasting injuries.

Allegations of Negligence

The lawsuit states the couple contracted Lemay’s services for $2,600 in 2021 after she claimed expertise in overseeing over 1,500 natural births. They allege she assured them of the safety of home births while dismissing hospital interventions as unnecessary.

The mother began labour on Dec. 18, 2021, under Lemay’s guidance, but after 18 hours, complications arose. According to the lawsuit, Lemay diagnosed a protruding mass as a routine "vulvar edema," assuring the parents it was nothing unusual.

When the couple decided to seek medical help at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital, Lemay allegedly refused to accompany them and instructed them not to disclose her involvement.

At the hospital, doctors determined the baby was in a breech position and the supposed "edema" was the infant's swollen scrotum protruding from the birth canal. The baby was delivered via emergency C-section.

The lawsuit claims the child suffered injuries to his groin, scrotum, and reproductive organs, while the parents experienced psychological trauma.

History of Defiance

Lemay has been banned from practicing midwifery for over 20 years but has continued to operate outside regulatory boundaries. She has previously been jailed for contempt of court and faced scrutiny over past incidents involving infant deaths.

In 2002, Lemay was sentenced to five months in jail for participating in home births despite a court order. She has publicly criticized the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives’ licensing requirements, stating they conflict with her beliefs about childbirth practices.

Current Investigation

The RCMP and the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives conducted a search of Lemay’s home in January 2023 following allegations of unauthorized midwifery practices.

Lemay has not commented on the lawsuit, but her website continues to promote childbirth education courses.

The parents’ lawsuit accuses Lemay of negligence, reckless behavior, and misrepresentation, claiming she downplayed risks and ignored critical signs of distress during labour. They are seeking damages for the harm caused to their child and themselves.

This case adds to growing concerns over unregulated midwifery practices in B.C., where the courts have consistently upheld bans against individuals defying licensing laws.