ThedaCare Medical Center Waupaca (Wis.) has shared plans to close its labor and delivery services Feb. 15.
The hospital is part of Neenah, Wis.-based ThedaCare, a nonprofit health system that comprises 18 hospitals, more than 360 outpatient locations, 22,000 employees and 3,400 providers, according to its website.
The decision stems from a demand shift among expectant mothers, with a decline in deliveries and mothers looking to deliver at larger birth centers, according to a Nov. 25 statement shared with Becker's.
A local and national shortage of physicians and nurses serving rural areas was also cited in the statement as a factor.
Physicians at the hospital will work with expectant mothers to coordinate labor and delivery plans at a birth center of their choice.
"This was a difficult decision, and one that was not made lightly because of our dedication to the people we are privileged to serve," the statement said.