LEESBURG, Fla. – Numerous expecting mothers and families are taken aback by the news that UF Health Leesburg Hospital plans to close its labor and delivery unit in a mere 45 days.
It means some moms in the area will have to drive nearly an hour to get the care they need.
Alexis Strong, who is currently pregnant, recalls how UF Health Leesburg Hospital was pivotal in saving her life in 2019 when she suffered a ruptured artery shortly after delivering her daughter.
“There was no time to wait for an ambulance to transport me just across the street, so I ended up in my doctor’s car to get an immediate procedure done to save my life. I only had about four minutes to spare,” Strong recounted.
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The hospital’s notice about the closure comes just 55 days before Strong’s due date for her third child.
Strong added, “Now, the nearest facility is a 45-minute drive away. If I go into premature labor, having to travel that far heightens the risk for me and my baby.”
Her sister-in-law, Michaella Duytsche, who is also expecting a child, pointed out that the hospital’s closure means she would have to travel anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Moreover, she mentioned that finding OB/GYN care can already be quite difficult.
“Finding OB/GYN care is very difficult. Finding a new one that might be close to a hospital just seems impossible,” Duytsche said.
In a statement, hospital staff explained the reasoning behind the closure:
“Due to significantly fewer births compared to other regional centers and a growing number of older adults in the community, it is no longer viable to keep full labor and delivery services running.”
“It’s kind of like kicking us out, and we’ve been here before all the retirees made it here,” said Strong.
But the expecting mothers believe the decision is another way of pushing young families out of the community.
“It doesn’t mean we don’t matter. Our care is just as important,” Duytsche said.
The hospital says it will continue to provide emergency OB/GYN services after the change takes effect on Oct. 15.
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