Three newborns delivered at Baby+Co. in Cary have died shortly after birth since last fall, and a fourth was recently sent to the neonatal intensive care unit at Duke University Hospital.
The recent troubles have prompted the natural birth center to divert all expectant mothers to WakeMed Cary, where midwives have full privileges, for their deliveries while internal policies and procedures are reviewed.
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"We have had a cluster of difficult cases here at our Cary location, and we're concerned about that," said Margaret Buxton, a certified nurse midwife and clinical director for Baby+Co., which also has locations in Charlotte and Winston-Salem among its six birthing centers nationwide.
"I can't speak to any details, but I can assure everybody that quality is at the heart of what we do. Safety is at the heart of what we do," Buxton said.
Out of 1,200 births reported at Baby+Co. since it opened in Cary four years ago, WRAL Investigates confirmed one newborn death in 2015 and one each last October and November and in February.
WRAL reached out to two parents whose infants died at the center to see if they wanted to share their experiences, but neither has responded.
The decision to divert clients to WakeMed and investigate was made two weeks ago after another newborn went into distress and was taken to Duke Hospital's NICU.
"Clustering of cases in health care is difficult, but it happens in a lot of different settings. It happens in hospitals. It can happen in birth centers," Buxton said. "When it happens, it's an opportunity for any health care agency – and we include ourselves in that– to take a step back."
Similar diversions and investigations took place after the deaths in November and February, but the center resumed deliveries within weeks each time.
One nurse midwife resigned during that period, Buxton said, declining to elaborate.
Buxton said Baby+Co. has been upfront with expectant mothers about the situation.
"What we're doing is we're listening to them and we're talking to them," she said.
WakeMed, which is an investor in Baby+Co., collaborates with the birthing center "to provide women and families access to a wide range of quality birthing options," spokeswoman Kristin Kelly Gruman said in an email. Physicians affiliated with the hospital system have helped develop medical protocols for the center, but they don't provide direct patient care, she said.
"WakeMed and Baby+Co. are currently evaluating the collaboration and their options for the future," Gruman said. "WakeMed always puts patients and their families at the top and will continue to support and care for all mothers and babies, including those that transfer from Baby+Co. for advanced care and resources."