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(Miami, FL) - Expectant women in South Florida have access to one less maternity unit with today's closure of Jackson South Medical Center's ward.
The shuttering of this taxpayer-funded public hospital delivery unit is raising concerns about access to maternity care in the region.
Jackson South is closing its doors weeks earlier than originally announced due to a staffing shortage.
The facility issuing a statement: Jackson will continue providing comprehensive maternity services, including specialized care for high-risk mothers, at two other locations: The Women’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial and Jackson North Medical Center. We will also continue operating the OB-GYN physician practice at Jackson South, in partnership with UHealth – University of Miami Health System.
Data shows that Jackson South has delivered fewer babies in the past decade compared with other hospitals in Miami-Dade county.
The national birthrate has hit a record low as more women wait longer to have children or decide to not have any at all.