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A temporary shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists has meant that expectant parents who were set to give birth at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge, B.C., may have to go to another hospital later this week.
The Fraser Health Authority announced Monday that a “maternity diversion” would be in place at the hospital for five days starting Feb. 12 and going up until 8 a.m. PT on Feb. 17.
Expectant parents at both Ridge Meadows and Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock were warned late last year that intermittent diversions may occur at both maternity wards due to a shortage of ob-gyns.
A diversion is already in place at Peace Arch Hospital, which started on Feb. 5 and is set to end on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 8 a.m. PT.
A diversion is already in place at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Fraser Health said that “recent, unexpected departures of [ob-gyns]” at both hospitals meant some upcoming physician shifts would remain uncovered.
“During a diversion period, patients in labour or with urgent pregnancy-related health concerns will be directed to another hospital to receive support from a care team,” the health authority said in a statement.
The health authority has created a webpage where it is posting information on the status of maternity services at the two hospitals.
Affected patients have been contacted about the diversion, according to the webpage.
Those who go into labour or have pregnancy concerns are asked to first call their maternity unit before going to the hospital, so that they can be directed to appropriate health-care services.
Over the holiday period late last year, the program medical director for Fraser Health’s perinatal program told CBC News that there was no set timeline for when the diversions would end as they looked to fill physician vacancies.
Several factors have led to the service interruption and shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists, including a general population increase and an increase in the number of births at the hospitals, according to Fraser Health.
Normally, about three babies per day are delivered at Peace Arch, and two at Ridge Meadows, the health authority told CBC News last year.
Fraser Health said on its webpage that it was using national and international recruitment to fill positions as quickly as possible, and one physician was set to join Peace Arch Hospital this spring.
WATCH | Halford frustrated over maternity ward diversions:
Ob-gyn shortage forces more maternity diversions in Fraser Health region
Fraser Health hospitals continue to face ob-gyn shortages, with a maternity diversion at Ridge Meadows Hospital the week before Christmas and a 72-hour diversion at Peace Arch Hospital this week. B.C. Conservatives interim leader Trevor Halford spoke to The Early Edition about the shortage in his riding of Surrey-White Rock.
Interim B.C. Conservatives leader Trevor Halford was highly critical of the maternity ward diversions in an interview with The Early Edition on Dec. 30.
“The blame here does not rest with the doctors and the frontline workers,” he said.
“The blame here rests with the government and their failure to actually staff these hospitals properly, full stop.”