For further information, contact Melissa Maimann at Essential Birth Consulting.
… A Ventura woman is accused of falsely representing herself as a midwife to a woman who tried to give birth last year …
The woman’s baby was later delivered stillborn at a hospital …
Megan Marie Roy, 33, will be arraigned … on a felony count of unauthorized practice of medicine …
Roy was introduced to the pregnant woman through the woman’s actual midwife – who moved out of state before the delivery, prosecutors said.
Roy, who was not certified as a midwife, acted as one during the delivery …
The baby’s father called 911 after several hours of labor and signs of physical distress, authorities said.
Roy is out of custody on $50,000 bail. She faces up to three years in prison if convicted.
If you birth in hospital, you can be assured that the hospital has shecked the credentials of the midwife who is assigned to your care. If you are birthing with a privately-employed midwife, be sure to see a few documents before employing her services. These should include:
- CV
- Criminal Record Check / Police Check
- Working with Children Check
- Midwifery Registration
- Identification
If your midwife does not have all of these documents on her, or refuses to provide these, view her with suspicion and consider employing the services of another midwife. Your right to safety is paramount.
Midwifery is a protected profession in Australia, meaning it is illegal for one to act as a midwife or to use the title unless one is registered with the Midwifery board as a midwife. Use of the title, “midwife” implies that the person is a registered midwife. Lay midwifery is illegal in this country.
Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448
I found http://www.sydneymidwife.com.au very informative. The article is professionally written and I feel like the author knows the subject very well. http://www.sydneymidwife.com.au keep it that way.
Your article is about a case in California, not Australia!
In California, direct entry midwives may practice if they are Licensed Midwives (LM) who have obtained their license following educational and practical instruction and examination:
http://www.medbd.ca.gov/allied/midwives.html
There are other recognized midwifery certifications (CPM, Certified Professional Midwife, not legal for practice in California but accepted as part of the licensing process), and CNM (Certified Nurse Midwife, a higher-level certification, requiring Registered Nurse status and specialisation in Midwifery).
Megan Roy is not a Licensed Midwife.