As birthing units continue to close, potential solutions emerge
Cross-training staff, incorporating more independent providers, and expanding training in rural areas are solutions proposed by providers and researchers.
As birthing units close, where do midwives fit in?
As hospitals close their birthing units, independent midwives are reluctant to provide care in areas without a safety net.
Nine Maine hospitals have closed or announced plans to close their birthing units in the past decade. The closures have hit rural areas particularly hard.
On average, rural Mainers whose closest hospital doesn’t have a birthing unit are now driving 45 minutes one-way to the nearest birthing hospital, according to a recent analysis.
