More rural Indiana communities losing access to labor and delivery services

Something is missing from Harrison County Hospital’s website. The homepage used to feature birth announcements with pictures, names and weights. However, the proud declarations have been taken down since the facility’s labor and delivery services closed on April 1.

Harrison County Hospital’s obstetric department is one of over a dozen that have shut down statewide since 2020, according to Steve Cooke, senior director of public relations at the Indiana Hospital Association. “About 70% of these closures were in the last two years,” he said.

A March of Dimes report revealed nearly a quarter of Indiana counties are considered maternity care deserts. The growing trend is concerning because lack of access to high-quality care is a factor in maternal and infant mortality rates.