Willow Midwife Center for Birth and Wellness announced it will close all operations in Phoenix and other locations by April 30, 2026, according to company officials. The closure follows investigations into compliance issues and patient care concerns, while multiple families have demanded refunds for prepaid services.
An Arizona couple is seeking a $2,500 refund from Willow Midwife Center after alleging they overpaid for prenatal and birth services, according to court records. Multiple families who prepaid cash for care at Willow’s freestanding birth centers in Mesa, Phoenix, and Gilbert have demanded refunds as the company prepares to close all operations by April 30, 2026, according to public records and statements from affected clients. Willow Midwife Center has not provided a timeline for processing refunds, and as of the announced closure date, the refund situation remains unresolved, according to company sources.
Since 2024, six families have filed lawsuits against Willow Midwife Center alleging negligence and violations of the standard of care during prenatal and birth services, according to court filings and legal documents.
Three of these lawsuits have been settled without Willow admitting fault, according to legal sources familiar with the cases. Police reports obtained by ABC15 Investigators document midwives at Willow facilities being described as “confrontational,” “rude,” and interfering with 911 emergency crews responding to medical emergencies involving newborns and mothers. Willow Midwife Center and its legal representatives have declined to comment on these encounters with first responders.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) issued a citation in 2025 to Willow’s Mesa location for failing to maintain policies and procedures to protect patient health and safety, according to official regulatory documents. The citation specifically cited inadequate monitoring of fetal heartbeats during labor and delivery. Willow Midwife Center submitted a corrective action plan that included additional training for staff on fetal heartbeat monitoring, according to ADHS records. Additionally, ADHS suspended the license of a midwife affiliated with Willow for six months following complaints related to two births at the facilities. One of the incidents involved a stillborn infant, according to statements from the affected family and regulatory findings.
ABC15 Investigators documented multiple allegations from former clients of Willow Midwife Center regarding substandard care during critical medical situations involving mothers and newborns. Families reported confrontational interactions with midwives during emergencies and interference with emergency medical personnel responding to 911 calls about babies in distress, according to police reports and interviews. These incidents spanned multiple locations and years, contributing to the regulatory enforcement actions taken by ADHS, according to investigation records.
Willow Midwife Center announced the planned closure of all its Phoenix and other Arizona locations by April 30, 2026, but company leadership has not provided an official statement explaining the reasons for the shutdown, according to the company’s spokesperson. The company’s website states it is “transitioning operations” while continuing to provide prenatal care and birth services through the closure date. However, the company has not publicly addressed patient refunds or detailed plans for ongoing care, increasing concerns among affected families, according to statements from clients and advocacy groups.
The closure of Willow Midwife Center follows a similar pattern to the abrupt shutdown of Babymoon Inn’s birthing centers in Phoenix and Tucson at the end of June 2024. Babymoon Inn’s sudden closure left dozens of families without refunds after they had paid cash upfront for midwife care and delivery services, according to news reports and family testimonials. One family reported paying $3,700 upfront to Babymoon Inn prior to its closure. Babymoon Inn attributed its shutdown to “decreased revenue and complications,” according to company statements at the time.
Willow Midwife Center operates licensed freestanding birth centers in Mesa, Phoenix, and Gilbert, though the exact number of currently active locations is unclear, according to state licensing records. The company continues to provide prenatal and birth services at these sites until the planned April 30, 2026 closure, according to the company’s public website. The announcement of the closure followed investigations revealing multiple compliance and patient care issues, according to regulatory and investigative sources.
The legal actions against Willow Midwife Center reflect broader concerns about patient safety and care quality at the facilities, according to court documents and investigative reports. The six lawsuits filed since 2024 allege negligence and violations of care standards, with three cases settled without admission of fault by the company. Police reports and family accounts document confrontations between midwives and emergency responders during critical medical incidents, underscoring ongoing challenges in patient care at Willow’s centers.
The Arizona Department of Health Services’ enforcement actions in 2025, including citations and license suspensions, highlight regulatory concerns about Willow Midwife Center’s compliance with health and safety standards. The cited failure to adequately monitor fetal heartbeats and the suspension of a midwife’s license following serious birth complications demonstrate the severity of the issues uncovered during inspections and investigations. Willow’s corrective action plan included staff retraining but did not prevent the planned closure of its facilities.
Willow Midwife Center and its legal representatives have consistently declined to comment on the reasons behind the pending shutdown, the lawsuits filed against the company, or the documented incidents involving midwives and emergency personnel, according to inquiries made by ABC15 Investigators. The lack of transparency from company leadership has amplified concerns among families who prepaid for services and now face uncertainty about refunds and ongoing care.
The series of midwifery center closures in Arizona, including Willow Midwife Center and Babymoon Inn, has left multiple families financially and medically vulnerable, according to advocacy groups and affected clients. These closures follow investigations into compliance issues, patient care concerns, and financial complications, as documented by news reports and state regulatory agencies. The ongoing transitions in Arizona’s midwifery care landscape continue to prompt scrutiny from regulators, families, and legal authorities.
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