Recently, Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D- La Mesa) announced that she will be introducing legislation to address the issue of abrupt maternity ward closures.

The bill will enhance the existing state review process before a maternity ward closes which would include an assessment of the impact of the closure on the surrounding community. According to a CalMatter’s recent article, at least 46 maternity wards have closed since 2012, leaving twelve counties, most of them rural, without any hospitals delivering babies.

“These birthing deserts make it difficult for pregnant persons to ensure that they will have a place that is equipped with the properly trained personnel to deliver their baby. Traveling long distances to find a hospital with an open labor and delivery unit should not be something a pregnant person should have to worry about in California,” said Weber.

This bill will require a state review process before a maternity ward closes as well as a report measuring the impact of the closure on the surrounding community.

“According to a recent JAMA study, the maternal mortality rates have increased in California over the past few decades and I am concerned that with the closure of these maternity wards, those mortality rates will continue to increase. As a practicing OB/GYN, I look forward to working with relevant stakeholders and state departments to develop a feasible proposal,” concluded Weber.