Expectant parents in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, may need to travel to other cities to give birth after Fraser Health announced a temporary maternity diversion affecting Ridge Meadows Hospital’s labour and delivery services on select dates. Fraser Health says the diversion is due to an unexpected shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists (OB-GYNs) and uncovered physician shifts.
People in labour who had planned to deliver at Ridge Meadows Hospital may be directed to alternative maternity sites such as Langley Memorial Hospital or Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, depending on capacity and clinical need. Patients with a physician or midwife should expect their care provider to contact them before delivery; anyone presenting in labour is asked to call the Ridge Meadows Maternity Unit at 604-463-1818 before travelling so staff can advise where to go. If you believe you have an urgent health concern, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Local reporting in the Maple Ridge News notes these diversions often occur in short blocks of time to cover gaps when no specialist is available, and Fraser Health says diversions are a last resort used to ensure safe, uninterrupted care. The shortage is part of a broader regional problem — CBC News and other outlets have reported similar OB-GYN staffing issues at other Lower Mainland hospitals — and local leaders have raised concerns about the safety of driving longer distances during winter. Snow and ice on the Golden Ears Bridge or Highway 7 can make what is typically about a 30-minute drive to Langley significantly longer and more hazardous for families in active labour.
