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Moms Face Long Travel for Births After Hospital Closes Unit
26 Aug
Summary
- Mothers now travel hours for childbirth after local hospital closed its unit.
- Low birth numbers led to the closure of the obstetrics unit in March 2024.
- The hospital now focuses on enhanced women's health services like mammograms.
More than two years after Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital (SMGH) ceased obstetrical deliveries in June 2024, local mothers report increased travel times and stress. The hospital transitioned its services to London Health Sciences Centre and St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, citing a low volume of just 59 deliveries in its final year. This decision followed a review indicating that mothers often chose to deliver in larger centers anyway, as SMGH was primarily a low-risk facility.
For residents like Tamia Chicas, the extended travel for prenatal appointments and delivery has been a source of anxiety, particularly given past pregnancy complications. Veronica Marchuk also experienced the inconvenience of traveling to London for her second child's birth, contrasting it with a more comfortable experience at SMGH for her first. Many rural families face additional hurdles with transportation accessibility and rising fuel costs.
SMGH, under the Middlesex Hospital Alliance, has redirected its focus to other women's health programs, including mammograms, ultrasounds, and new MRI services for breast health, along with surgeries. These services were developed based on community feedback, allowing women to receive care closer to home without needing to travel to London. Hospital officials believe these specialized services allow them to excel and provide high-quality care.
