PORTLAND, Maine — A concerning trend has emerged across the nation as several smaller maternity wards have closed their units.
In Maine alone, seven birthing units have closed since 2015, leaving many women with limited options for delivering their babies close to home.
"We have patients that come down from Rumford, patients who live in Bethel, we have patients that travel from pretty far," Elizabeth Gittinger, medical director of Women's Health at Mercy, said.
The closure of birthing units statewide has compelled Portland's Northern Light Mercy Hospital to expand its services to accommodate the growing demand.
"We've had three birthing hospitals close around us; the most impactful was last July when St. Mary's closed across town. We went from a birthing hospital of 500 births to 1000, doubling our birth volume," Rebecca Brakeley, MD, chief of Women's and Children's Health at CMMC, said.
Central Maine Medical Center had to increase staff to cope with the sudden surge in demand for their services.
Southern Maine has witnessed a spike in births following the closure of several maternity units due to declining birth rates and staffing shortages.
Gittinger attributes this to factors such as the influx of new residents to Maine and individuals who postponed having children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maine Medical Center reports that its delivery volumes remained high in 2023, with over 3200 deliveries.
President of Northern Light Mercy Hospital Charlie Therrien added, "We did about 700 births last year and will probably see another 10 percent this coming year. We are seeing an uptick in the birth rate in Maine after some years of a declining birth rate."
As the birth rate in Maine appears to be on the rise, it's evident that families may need to travel farther to receive the necessary care to bring new life into the world.
The closure of maternity wards in Maine has had a significant impact on expectant mothers, leading to increased demand and the need for expanded services in remaining facilities.