Maple Ridge hospital maternity unit closes again

Fraser Health has announced another temporary closure of the maternity unit at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge. The unit is closed from Sunday, Sept. 6, through Tuesday, Sept. 8, and people in labour who had planned to give birth there are being diverted to another regional hospital.

The health authority said a temporary shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists at Ridge Meadows Hospital may require people planning to deliver there to be guided to another maternity site. It acknowledged the update may create concern and additional stress, and said the measures are intended to ensure safe, uninterrupted care for parent and baby.

Fraser Health said it is working with physician groups and the Ministry of Health to recruit and stabilize OB-GYN physicians at Ridge Meadows Hospital and Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock. The authority has posted frequently asked questions online for people seeking specific answers or updates.