Babies’ Lives at Risk as Rural Alabama Loses Labor and Delivery Services

Dr. Max Rogers, an obstetrician/gynecologist at Grove Hill Memorial Hospital, is not mincing words about the impending consequences of closing one of the last labor and delivery departments in rural southwest Alabama. Once cautious with his language, Rogers now starkly predicts the reality following the department's closure scheduled for August 16.

“I used to say, ‘poor outcomes,’” Rogers admits. “But now I’ll just say it: Babies and mothers are going to die because we won’t have the necessary obstetrical expertise.”

On Wednesday, Grove Hill Memorial Hospital in Clarke County announced it would shut down its labor and delivery services. This hospital, located 90 minutes north of Mobile and two hours southwest of Montgomery, was the last in rural southwest Alabama still providing such care.

The closure is part of a broader trend where rural hospitals are reducing inpatient care to convert to Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) under a federal program designed to keep their doors open. Grove Hill is among four Alabama hospitals transitioning to REH, alongside Bullock County Hospital, East Alabama Medical Center-Lanier, and J. Paul Jones Hospital in Camden.

As labor and delivery services vanish across the region, the nearest hospital for expecting mothers in Grove Hill is in Brewton, 80 minutes away. Monroe County Hospital discontinued its obstetrical services last year, and Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis suspended its services in May, with plans to resume in September.

Dr. Rogers paints a grim picture: “In a worst-case scenario, these women won’t be able to reach hospitals in Mobile, Selma, Montgomery, or Tuscaloosa—the nearest areas with the required facilities.”

Following Monroe County Hospital's closure of its labor and delivery department in November, Rogers saw a 35 percent increase in patients at his practice. Now, these patients must find new doctors and delivery centers, often struggling with transportation for pre-natal appointments. Many are low-income, relying on friends and family to take time off work to drive them to distant appointments.

According to the March of Dimes, the percentage of Alabama residents living more than 30 minutes from a hospital with a birthing center is three times the national average. The organization also gave Alabama an “F” grade for preterm births.

Beyond his role as an obstetrician, Rogers chairs the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners and regularly engages with government and public health officials to advocate for rural women and children’s medical needs. Despite his efforts, local and state leaders have not provided the necessary funds to keep the labor and delivery department operational.

At a city council meeting in Grove Hill, Rogers pleaded for support, only to see leaders allocate $20,000 to the local animal shelter instead. “I love animals just like everybody else, but that shows where our culture’s priorities lie when it comes to pregnant women and our young,” Rogers said.

Hospitals converting to REH status receive monthly payments of $267,408.68 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services but must operate emergency departments around the clock and cannot provide inpatient care, including labor and delivery.

Women who planned to deliver at Grove Hill Memorial Hospital now face uncertainty as their due dates near. Rogers worries deeply about their fate once the department closes.

“I don’t know what the body count will be, but the future looks bleak,” Rogers concludes.