Pregnancy and Birth: Maternity Care, Midwives, Postpartum — 2026-10-18
Maternity unit closures in the US and France intensified this week, with a Missouri hospital cutting labor and delivery services just nine days after a new owner took over, and the Tournan-en-Brie maternity unit in France scheduled to close on October 17. In the US, Missouri launched its first nurse-midwife training program to address rural birth deserts, while new data revealed low uptake of the effective maternal RSV vaccine.
Pregnancy and Birth: Maternity Care, Midwives, Postpartum — 2026-10-18
Top developments
Missouri Hospital Cuts Labor and Delivery After Sale
Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall, Missouri, announced the closure of its labor and delivery unit on October 13, just nine days after a new owner, Fitzgibbon-Ama, took over following the hospital's bankruptcy filing in April. The unit delivered 252 babies in 2025, and its closure leaves pregnant women north of Interstate 70 in central Missouri with significantly fewer options for local care. This development highlights the volatility in rural maternity services when hospitals change ownership or face financial distress.
Missouri Launches First Nurse-Midwife Training Program
In response to ongoing rural maternity unit closures, Missouri announced it will receive $879,000 to begin building its first nurse-midwife training program. This initiative aims to expand the midwifery workforce in areas where hospital-based obstetric care is shrinking. The funding represents a strategic shift toward community-based birth models to maintain access to care in underserved regions.
French Maternity Unit Closure Triggers Legal Action
The maternity unit in Tournan-en-Brie, France, is scheduled to close on October 17, 2026, following an authorization from the Regional Health Agency (ARS). The closure is part of a broader trend in France where units with fewer than 300 births per year are being targeted for consolidation. This specific closure has prompted legal recourse from pregnant women and local stakeholders challenging the administrative decision, reflecting ongoing tension between safety thresholds and local access.
Low Uptake of Effective Maternal RSV Vaccine
New data reveals that while the maternal RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) is effective in protecting infants from severe respiratory illness, uptake remains low among eligible pregnant women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health bodies strongly recommend the vaccine, but many women are not opting for it, potentially leaving infants vulnerable to hospitalization during RSV season. This gap highlights a disconnect between clinical evidence and public health adoption.
Severe Maternal Psoriasis Linked to Low Birth Weight
A new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that women with severe psoriasis are 1.4 times more likely to have a low birth weight (LBW) infant compared to those without the condition. However, mild psoriasis was not associated with an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes. This finding underscores the need for targeted monitoring of high-risk pregnancies in women with severe dermatological conditions.
Local view
France: The closure of the Tournan-en-Brie maternity unit has sparked legal challenges, with lawyer Hassan Kohen detailing the rights of pregnant women to contest ARS authorizations for closing units below the 300-birth threshold. The case illustrates the growing legal friction between national safety guidelines that favor consolidation and local demands for accessible care.
United States: In Southwest Virginia, Cardinal News reported on a nonprofit campaign highlighting the role of midwives in expanding healthcare access as rural maternity care shrinks. The campaign aims to address misconceptions about midwifery, positioning it as a vital alternative to closing hospital units.
Context & numbers
- US Postpartum Coverage: As of March 2026, 48 states and Washington, DC, have extended Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, a significant expansion from the previous 60-day standard.
- French Maternity Consolidation: France has closed 413 maternity units between 1997 and 2019, a trend that has pushed hundreds of thousands of women beyond the 45-minute travel time limit considered safe by obstetricians.
- Missouri Funding: The state received $879,000 specifically to establish its first nurse-midwife training program.
On the radar
- October 17 Closure: The Tournan-en-Brie maternity unit in France officially closes on October 17, 2026, marking a new milestone in the French perinatal consolidation strategy.
- RSV Season: With the RSV season expanding through March 1, health officials are monitoring uptake of the maternal vaccine, which remains critically low despite proven efficacy.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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