Bar Harbor’s hospital will no longer deliver babies beginning this summer.
It’s the latest Maine hospital to close its birthing unit amid declining birth rates. Births have fallen by half in Maine since 1960, and from 12,589 in 2015 to 11,621 last year.
MDI Hospital said Thursday morning that there have just been nine births there so far this year. In 2024, the hospital delivered 32 babies, compared with about 100 a decade ago.
The hospital said that it has become increasingly difficult to maintain obstetric care with such low volumes of births, as well as declining federal and state reimbursements.
MDI Hospital will stop delivering babies effective July 1.
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“This is deeply personal for me — I gave birth to both of my children here,” MDI Hospital President and CEO Chrissi Maguire said in a statement. “We know how much this service has meant to our community. But we must adapt to ensure the continued strength of our hospital and the care we provide. This decision, while painful, is necessary to ensure the sustainability of high-quality healthcare services for all.”
Instead, MDI Hospital will double the size of its emergency department, including a room equipped for emergency births; rotate staff through partner hospitals to keep them trained for emergency deliveries; coordinating with nearby facilities to ensure smooth transfers for deliveries; and launch a new program to guide expectant mothers through prenatal, delivery and postpartum care.
“We are committed to doing all we can to support mothers and families,” Maguire said. “With new supportive maternal health services, specialized emergency providers, and a unit ready for urgent deliveries, this difficult transition will not deter us from our mission to deliver compassionate, community-focused care.”
MDI Hospital will schedule a town hall meeting about the changes.
Over the past decade, eight hospitals have eliminated their birthing units or announced forthcoming closures. That includes three last year alone, including at MaineHealth Waldo General Hospital in Belfast.
Fewer than 20 will remain after this summer.
