Declining births are being cited for the closing of maternity services at a medical center in Lewiston.Officials at St. Mary’s Health System announced they will be closing the Maternity and Women’s Health service at the end of July. St. Mary’s Health System cites “continuously declining birth rates” as a reason for the closure. Officials say the decision was approved by the boards of the health system and its parent company Covenant Health. Officials say both St. Mary’s and Central Maine Medical Center had a combined total of 1,044 births in 2021.”The decision to close our maternity services was difficult and emotional, but is in the best interest of our community,” St. Mary’s President Steve Jorgensen said. “With the availability of a Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit and LifeFlight services in our community at CMMC, we felt that our communities will be well-served to care for all patients, including in the case of high-risk pregnancies.”
Declining births are being cited for the closing of maternity services at a medical center in Lewiston.
Officials at St. Mary’s Health System announced they will be closing the Maternity and Women’s Health service at the end of July.
St. Mary’s Health System cites “continuously declining birth rates” as a reason for the closure. Officials say the decision was approved by the boards of the health system and its parent company Covenant Health.
Officials say both St. Mary’s and Central Maine Medical Center had a combined total of 1,044 births in 2021.
“The decision to close our maternity services was difficult and emotional, but is in the best interest of our community,” St. Mary’s President Steve Jorgensen said. “With the availability of a Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit and LifeFlight services in our community at CMMC, we felt that our communities will be well-served to care for all patients, including in the case of high-risk pregnancies.”