A Mesa birthing center is facing potential legal action after a Tempe couple endured a heart-wrenching loss, with the death of their newborn boy last November; the couple is now planning to sue the center, according to FOX 10 Phoenix and Arizona’s Family. Noelle Zmrzel, who was 42 weeks pregnant, went into labor at the Willow Midwife Center for Birth & Wellness AZ, LLC; she endured over 36 hours of labor and after being reassured that her pain and the baby's status were normal, Noelle was transferred to a hospital where, following an emergency C-section, she was informed that her son, whom they had intended to name James, did not survive.
No criminal charges have been pressed yet the family's attorney, John Kelly, intends to file a lawsuit against the birthing center, suggesting that the situation could have been preventable given the advanced stage of Noelle's pregnancy, as Noelle and her husband Dylan Zmrzel told FOX 10 the experience was harrowing and potentially avoidable. The Mesa Police report from a 2023 case indirectly sheds light on the birthing center's history; it uses the term "Willow Call," which reportedly signifies that a newborn from the center was in dire condition, this officer also noted that nearby NICU staff were familiar with patients from Willow, indicating a pattern of critical care needs for newborns arriving from the center.
In response to the allegations, Willow Birthing Center stands by its safety protocols and cites accreditation from AABC and a safety record comparable to hospitals; they add that every birthing suite has necessary resuscitation equipment, and less than 1% of over 280 births require hospital transfers for medical needs in 2023, as per a statement in an interview with Arizona’s Family. Despite no current court filings, the Zmrzels and their lawyer stress the importance of accountability, voicing concerns over the midwives’ conduct during the labor and delivery process.
Statements of deficiency from the Arizona Department of Health Services verified claims against midwives listed on Willow's website; the midwives have been allowed to respond, as the birthing center maintains its standing of high safety rates as said by a representative to FOX 10, arguing that while the loss of a baby is tragic, data supports the safety of birthing centers like Willow, the center had a 13% hospital transfer rate last year which is below the national average, and their NICU admission rate is less than 1%. A previous lawsuit against the center was settled just weeks prior, no word yet on when the Zmrzels' legal action will officially be taken.
