Aspirus Ironwood Hospital announced Friday that it will be ending its labor and delivery services at the end of 2025.
It will continue to offer pre-natal and postnatal care for local families.
Aspirus attributed national and regional OB/GYN shortages as a driving factor in the decision.
“This change will align our services with the region’s evolving needs while ensuring we can sustain comprehensive maternal care,” Michigan Region for Aspirus Health President Natalie Seaber said in a statement. “We remain deeply committed to Ironwood and the surrounding communities, and we will adapt as those needs change to fulfill our mission of healing people, promoting health, and strengthening our communities.”
Aspirus Ironwood has only had one full-time family practice/obstetrics physician since June 2024 despite what it calls “aggressive recruiting” to hire more.
This has been a nationwide issue for rural hospitals. A report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform found that more 100 rural labor and delivery units have closed since 2020 with less than half of rural hospitals in the U.S. still offering the services.
Aspirus cited a projection from the American Medical Association that the U.S. will face a shortage of 5,000 OB/GYNs by 2030.
Aspirus said a multidisciplinary team is managing the transition to ensure continuity of prenatal and postnatal services in Ironwood. The hospital’s emergency department and facilities remain equipped to handle any urgent labor and delivery needs that arise.
“Aspirus Ironwood has proudly provided a high-quality birthing center, and we are taking steps to keep mothers and babies safe during this transition,” Seaber said. “We will continue offering exceptional prenatal and postnatal care for our community.”
The next closest hospital to offer labor and delivery is Tamarack Health in Ashland which is about an hour from Ironwood.
