Court to Decide: Were Midwives in Zurich Negligent in Fatal Birth Case?Court to Decide: Were Midwives in Zurich Negligent in Fatal Birth Case?
Zurich Birth House Under Scrutiny: Did Midwives React Too Late in Tragic Baby Death?
Zurich Birth Center Faces Trial After Baby’s Death — What Went Wrong?
Swiss Midwives Charged With Negligence After Baby’s Death at Zurich Birth House
The court must determine whether the midwives’ response was too late. Following the untimely death of a baby, three midwives have been accused. All of the accusations have been refuted by the birth center in question.
A tragic event took place at the Zürcher Oberland Birth Center (Geburtshaus Zürcher Oberland) in Bäretswil seven years ago. The woman was transported by ambulance to Wetzikon Hospital following five hours of stopped labor, where medical professionals attempted, but were unable, to rescue the infant.
Current charges against the three midwives involved at the time include negligent homicide (fahrlässige Tötung). The birth center has denied the allegations, stating that the baby’s heartbeat was normal for the entire eight-hour labor pause and that it was medically permissible.
Authorities at the time had received more complaints regarding the birth center, according to a report by “NZZ.” As a result, they started looking into 20 instances in which mothers and babies were sent from the center to the Akutspital, an emergency hospital. A number of flaws and weaknesses in the center’s procedures were noted in the expert report that was produced.
Tragic Birth in Switzerland Sparks Legal Case Against Three Midwives
The company had even threatened to revoke its operating license (Leistungsauftrag) if it didn’t drastically and sustainably increase collaboration with surrounding hospitals as part of its plans to relocate closer to Uster Hospital Birth Center in Bäretswil, where about 200 infants are delivered annually.
The facility responded by making adjustments and has now declared plans to move close to Uster Hospital in order to give emergency medical aid more rapidly when necessary.
Obstacles facing autonomous birth centers
Independent birth facilities frequently encounter significant difficulties. They are forced to depend on local hospitals and ambulance services in an emergency, which occasionally causes delays or complications.
Medinside has previously covered the tense relationship between hospitals and independent birth clinics.
Zurich encourages births led by midwives.
Through a new service contract (Leistungsauftrag), the Zurich regional government (Regierungsrat) has been pushing midwife-led childbirth services (hebammengeleitete Geburtshilfe) since 2023.
Through this program, the Department of Health (Gesundheitsdirektion) hopes to guarantee “high quality, cost efficiency, and effectiveness” in maternity care. As a result, midwife-led birth services are now a common feature of many hospitals’ programs.
Tragic but uncommon situations
It is quite uncommon for a birth to end tragically. Nonetheless, it is not uncommon for births that begin under midwife care to ultimately necessitate medical assistance from a physician. Quicker access to medical professionals in hospitals
According to data, doctors are called in far more quickly for midwife-led births at hospitals than at independent birth centers.
According to “NZZ,” 290 out of 703 hospital midwife-led births required a doctor’s intervention. In contrast, doctors had to intervene only 143 times during 608 births at independent birth centers.
Tragic Birth in Switzerland Sparks Legal Case Against Three Midwives