Labor and Delivery Closure FAQ
Why is MDI Hospital closing its Inpatient Labor and Delivery Unit?
MDI Hospital is closing its Inpatient Labor and Delivery Unit due to a significant decline in births and the challenge of maintaining specialized staff for such low-volume care. Only 9 babies have been born at MDI Hospital this year. In 2024, only 33 babies were delivered (see declining trends over the years in the link below). Critically, with so few births, our nurses and providers cannot maintain the necessary skills and experience required for safe deliveries. Patient safety is our top concern and ensuring that our staff can provide the highest level of care means making this difficult decision. Guided by this data, input from the state, our providers, and clinical governing bodies, we are firm in the decision to close the unit effective July 1st.
Use this link to view birth rate and hospital-specific data.
Has the hospital turned down any donations to help keep Labor and Delivery open?
No. MDI Hospital gratefully accepts donations in accordance with its Gift Acceptance Policy, including designated and restricted gifts. However, the decision to close Labor and Delivery was not based on funding alone. Unfortunately, financial support cannot resolve the fundamental challenges we face, primarily a significantly declining birthrate. With the lowest number of annual births of any hospital unit in Maine, we are no longer able to sustain the level of volume required to provide safe, high-quality obstetric care.
Why didn’t the hospital consult the community or nurses before making the decision to close Labor and Delivery?
We did. From June through December 2024, MDI Hospital held a series of multidisciplinary work sessions that included OB nurses, providers, clinical leaders, and regional partners. These conversations were critical in evaluating the future of the program. The decision was not made lightly, it was the result of a thoughtful, months-long process focused on patient safety, workforce realities, and the long-term sustainability of obstetric care in our region. Ultimately, once a final decision was made, it was important to inform our internal teams before communicating more broadly.
Why hasn’t MDI Hospital been rotating the L&D nurses out to other local hospitals to keep their skills up?
We offer training partnerships with regional hospitals to help support skill maintenance for our L&D nurses. While many nurses have taken part in these opportunities, participation must be mutually agreed upon. We are grateful for our nurses’ commitment to professional development and acknowledge that low birth volumes present a shared challenge in maintaining competencies safely on-site.
Our physicians, providers, and surgeons who provide OB coverage also staff general surgery and primary care, leaving little room for off-site rotations.
You’ve said in the past that OB services are vital in rural areas—what has changed?
That belief hasn’t changed. But birth rates have. We looked at every option, but with fewer babies being born and challenges in staffing and skill retention, continuing the service safely just isn’t possible.
Are you aware of the Notice of Maternity and Newborn Care Changes Policy from the Maine DHHS? July 1st is not 120 days from notification.
Yes, MDI Hospital engaged the Department of Health and Human Services and State Licensing Division throughout this process. They consider notification to be when we first brought the state in on strategic discussions regarding potential service changes so they could begin their review thoroughly. We brought the state in on our internal discussions in the fall of 2024 and because of this we are acting within policy, and those interactions and continuous updates are considered reasonable notification within the 120-day notice.
If the ED isn’t ready before July 1, where will laboring people be cared for?
Our ED is, and always has been, equipped to handle any emergent situation, including emergency births. In light of the upcoming closure of our Labor and Delivery Unit, enhanced staff training is already underway. Should a patient present in active labor and deliver in an emergent capacity, they will be cared for and stabilized in our ED. We will then coordinate a transfer to a facility equipped for inpatient postpartum and newborn care. While our ED is fully prepared to respond to emergencies, including those involving laboring patients, it is not and will not be designed to provide ongoing maternity care after stabilization. Once the patients are stable, we will coordinate timely transfers to ensure continued care for both the parent and the baby.
Why did the plans submitted to the town planning committee in January include the L&D unit?
As of January 2025, the decision to close Labor and Delivery was still in discussion with our physicians, the board, OB staff, and other Women’s Health stakeholders. No decision had been made. In the expansion plan, there would have been no changes to the Labor and Delivery Unit as far as construction is concerned, and therefore it would have been noted as a service that we provide, not an element of the project that needed specific planning committee attention or approval.
How will young families live here if Labor and Delivery closes?
This is a deeply important and complex question—and one that communities across Maine are grappling with. On Mount Desert Island, the challenges are clear: limited affordable housing, seasonal employment, high living costs, and a shrinking year-round workforce. These structural issues are not just healthcare issues—they are community issues.
The decision to close Labor and Delivery due to declining birth rate is a symptom of these larger pressures. MDI Hospital cannot solve them alone. But together, we can. We urge our community to come together to advocate for housing, economic development, and workforce strategies that make island life truly sustainable and to build a future where everyone, no matter their age, can live and thrive here.
If 200 births a year is a factor in an OB unit closure, can you speak to how the OB unit has been under 110-200 births a year for decades, and there hasn’t been a closure until now?
Like most rural OB units, ours is heavily subsidized due to the extensive resources needed to provide safe, high-quality care. We prioritized this program because we know that the community cares very deeply about this service. The decision has been made now because we’ve reached a critical tipping point, with an extremely low volume program, the risk to patient safety has increased exponentially.
People come to MDI Hospital to not have C-sections and have a more natural birthing experience, what will happen to them?
While the rate does fluctuate, our cesarean section rate in 2024 was 45% and remains at 45% so far this year. The national average is around 30%, and the optimal standard hospital ranking and accrediting bodies recommend is 23.9% or less. Care preferences and maternal health need remain a priority for our teams. Guidance and consultation on regional Labor and Delivery options will continue to be available through the Lisa Stewart Women’s Health Center and your primary care provider.
When will a navigator be in place?
We currently have Patient Advocates at the Hospital who can help you navigate Women’s Health, pre- and post-natal care, as well as primary care and pediatric appointments. Our Integrated Care Team is currently working with our patients on placement and seamless transition of care. Our Labor and Delivery Unit will remain open and function through June 30th. In the meantime, the Women’s Health Navigator position is posted and accepting applicants. We are looking forward to adding this position to our already established and experienced Patient Advocate and Integrated Care Teams.
The hospital is about to undergo a multi-million-dollar campus improvement—why not use those funds to save the Labor and Delivery Unit?
The planned renovation is funded by grants and gifts specifically designated for capital improvements, including the modernization of the Emergency Department, which currently operates at 300% capacity. These dollars cannot legally be used for operating costs like staffing or running the Labor and Delivery Unit. Even if they could, this would not resolve the birthrate crisis.
What have you done to market Labor and Delivery at MDIH? There must be more babies on the island that we are missing.
We market our Women’s Health Center and Labor and Delivery Unit through regular services-based advertising throughout the year. In the past several years, we’ve increased our marketing and community engagement around the New Year’s Baby, which has a 7,200-person average reach. Efforts include multiple news articles, print advertisements in local newspapers, and digital advertisements and features highlighting our OB. We also highlighted Labor and Delivery nurses in our Beyond the Medicine television and streaming feature that was in circulation throughout 2024.
Regardless of marketing, we are not missing a significant number of babies and new mothers on MDI that would reverse the trajectory of the birth rate crisis. From Jan. 2024 – Oct. 2024, there were 9 planned home births in all of Hancock County, and only 2 on our Island.
Is there an adequate blood supply at MDI Hospital to handle emergencies?
Yes. MDI Hospital consistently maintains more than the required blood supply for a critical access hospital and is fully prepared to manage low-risk procedures and routine surgeries. While we are not a trauma center, our clinical protocols ensure rapid access to additional resources if needed. Patient safety is our top priority, and we are confident in our ability to provide safe, effective care within our current scope of services.
Why did some patients hear about this on Facebook?
This wasn’t how we wanted news to be shared. We called and messaged every current OB patient the morning of the announcement on March 27, 2025, followed by letters. But flyers for an external community event scheduled for March 31, 2025, circulated a week before our official announcement, and social media moved fast. We’re truly sorry for any confusion this caused. Our patient navigators are here to help—they can be reached at 207.288.5082 ext. 1112 or 1.866.220.4563.
What should patients who are currently pregnant do now?
MDI Hospital is working closely with regional hospitals to coordinate care and ensure smooth transfers for deliveries. If you are currently receiving prenatal care at MDI Hospital, your provider will discuss options with you and help you transition to a hospital that can support your delivery safely.
What if I go into labor and cannot make it off the island in time?
MDI Hospital’s Emergency Department will continue to provide responsive care for emergency births, and additional training is already underway.
Have you considered the higher cost to families that may have to take a longer ambulance ride when MDI Hospital closes Labor and Delivery?
Yes, EMS impacts are one of many considerations we’ve evaluated. Most mothers in labor arrive at the hospital by car. For those requiring ambulance services, a variety of factors come into play, including whether the patient needs to go to a tertiary care facility like Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center or MaineHealth Maine Medical Center because of a complication.
Will MDI Hospital still provide any maternal health services?
Yes. The hospital is committed to maternal health and is implementing several new initiatives, including:
- Hiring a Maternal Health Patient Navigator program to guide expectant mothers through prenatal, delivery coordination, and postpartum care.
- Continued prenatal and postpartum care at MDI Hospital and its affiliated health centers.
- Strengthened partnerships with regional hospitals to ensure safe and seamless deliveries.
- Ongoing training for emergency department staff to handle urgent deliveries safely.
Where will I have to go for labor and delivery services?
MDI Hospital is coordinating with nearby hospitals to provide labor and delivery care for expectant mothers. Your provider will discuss the best hospital for your needs and assist with referrals and transfer plans. If you become pregnant in the next few months and need care on the island prior to delivery, please contact our Lisa Stewart Women’s Health Center for prenatal care and services.