Between 2016 and 2020, there was an increase of 70 counties that qualified as maternity desserts, or counties without a hospital, a birth center, or clinicians with experience delivering babies, research from the March of Dimes found.
Cleveland-based University Hospitals is one recent system that is looking to halt maternity services at its hospital in Ashland, Ohio. Peoria, Ill.-based OSF HealthCare is also looking to end maternity care at some of its locations due to a decline in births.
Some state governments have stepped in to block hospitals from closing their maternity wards. The Massachusetts Department of Health determined that UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital Leominster (Ma.) Campus’ maternity ward was an essential service, complicating plans for closure. The hospital will now have 15 days to submit a plan for maintaining maternity care in the area.
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