Photo by Christian Bowen on Unsplash
In early October of 2023, the Albany Times Union reported that there had been more than 2 dozen closures of maternity services in NY State since 2008, with 7 closing or planning to close since the COVID pandemic started in 2020. And this is in the face of what is called Maternity Care Deserts, such as Delaware County, NY, where there are no labor and delivery services. When hospitals or health systems announce closure of maternity services, they often note that women can still use emergency rooms for labor and delivery. The thought of going to an emergency room when you have what is expected to be a normal labor and delivery is horrendous. HealthCetera producer and host Diana Mason, PhD, RN, talked with Whitney Hall, CNM, Legislative Director of NY Midwives about this situation. This interview first aired on HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX Radio on October 11, 2023.
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