Baby+Co. reviewing procedures after deaths of three newborns

>>> WE ARE TAKING THIS HARD.

AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE DOING

EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE DOING TO

ENSURE QUALITY FOR OUR CLIENTS.

>>> RIGHT NOW 6:00, A LOCAL

BIRTHING CENTER IS LOOKING FOR

ANSWERS AFTER RECENT DEATH

DURING DELIVERY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I AM KATHRYN BROWN.

>> THREE RECENT BABY DEATHS AT

AN AREA BIRTHING CENTER HAS

RESULTED IN EXPECTED MOTHERS

GOING TO THE HOSPITAL.

CULLEN BROWDER SPOKE WITH THE

CLINICAL DIRECTOR.

>> Reporter: THE COMPANY,

BABY+CO HAS A GOOD RECORD OF

SAFE OUTCOMES.

BUT AT THIS CARY FACILITY,

THREE BABIES HAVE DIED SINCE

OCTOBER.

ANOTHER ONE WAS RECENTLY SENT

TO INTENSIVE CARE.

THAT IS WHEN BABY+CO SUSPENDED

FUTURE BIRTH TO FIND OUT WHAT

IS BEHIND THE TROUBLING TRENDS.

>> I THINK WE HAVE CLIENTS THAT

ARE NATURALLY CURIOUS ABOUT THE

OPTIONS.>> Reporter: BABY+CO

APPEARS TO BE THE POSTER CHILD

OF THE NATURAL BIRTH CARE

MOVEMENT.

CERTIFIED NURSE MIDWIVES GUIDE

MOTHERS TO THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH

IN A HOMELIKE AND SUPPORTIVE

SETTING.

AND THEY ARE RIGHT NEAR WAKEMED.

>> MOST OF OUR CLIENTS WOULD DO

THIS AGAIN AND OR RECOMMEND IT

TO A FRIEND.

>> Reporter: BEYOND GLOWING

TESTIMONIALS IS A HIGHLY

UNUSUAL STRETCH OF NEWBORN

DEATHS.

OUT OF 1200 BIRDS AT THIS

LOCATION, WRAL INVESTIGATES

THAT FOUR RABIES DIED SHORTLY

AFTER DELIVERY.

ONE WAS -- ONE DIED IN 2015, ONE

LAST OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AND IN

NOVEMBER.

>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN

THAT?

>> WE HAVE HAD A CLUSTER OF

DIFFICULT CASES AND WE ARE

CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

>> Reporter: SHE IS THE

CLINICAL DIRECTOR FOR BABY AND

COMPANY.>> I CANNOT SPEAK TO

ANY DETAILS BUT I CAN ENSURE

EVERYBODY THAT SAFETY IS AT THE

HEART OF WHAT WE DO.

>> Reporter: SHE TELLS US THAT

THE CARY BABY+CO IS DIVERTING

EVERYONE TO WAKEMED WHETHER

MIDWIVES HAVE FOR PRIVILEGES.

THE DECISION TO PAUSE AND

INVESTIGATE STARTED AFTER

ANOTHER CHILD WENT INTO

DISTRESS DURING BIRTH LAST

MONTH.

>> THIS HAPPENS IN A LOT OF

DIFFERENT SETTINGS.

A HAPPENS IN HOSPITALS AND IT

CAN HAPPEN IN BIRTH CENTERS.

WHEN IT HAPPENS IT IS AN

OPPORTUNITY FOR HEALTHCARE

ORGANIZATIONS TO TAKE A STEP

BACK.>> Reporter: SIMILAR

DIVERSIONS AND INVESTIGATIONS

TOOK PLACE AFTER THE DEATH IN

FEBRUARY AND NOVEMBER.

THE CENTER RESUMED BUT OVARIES

WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.

BUXTON TELLS US THAT ONE

MIDWIFE RESIGNED.

>> Reporter: HAVE THE PROTOCOLS

CHANGED AT ALL?

>> WE ARE STILL IN REVIEW.

CLUSTERING IS CHALLENGING.

>> Reporter: DO YOU FEEL LIKE

YOU HAVE BEEN UPFRONT WITH YOUR

CLIENTS ABOUT WHAT HAS

HAPPENED?

>> WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE.

WE ARE LISTENING TO THEM AND

TALKING TO THEM.>> Reporter: AT

THIS POINT, IS THIS AN

UNFORTUNATE COINCIDENCE OR DO

YOU HAVE A PROBLEM?

>> WE WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER

TO THAT QUESTION.

>> Reporter: I SPOKE WITH TWO

PARENTS WHOSE BABIES DIED AT

BABY+CO AFTER THEY WERE BORN.

BABY+CO DOES HAVE AN

AFFILIATION WITH WAKEMED.

THEY PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND

GUIDANCE BUT THEY ARE NOT

INVOLVED IN DIRECT PATIENT CARE.

THESE CASES HAVE REALLY SHAKEN

THE MIDWIFE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AN

UNFAIR PER TRAIL OF BIRTH

CENTERS.

SO WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT

MORTALITY STATISTICS AND THEIR

THOUGHTS ON THESE BIRTH CENTERS.