Earlier this year, Scripps Health announced plans to close the maternity ward at Scripps Mercy Chula Vista. It closed in June, and South Bay families are starting to feel the effects. NBC7’s Jeanette Quezada has the story.
Perla Gutierrez is a mother of three and a fourth one is on the way. Her family moved to Chula Vista hoping to have better access to maternity health care services at Scripps Mercy Chula Vista.
“If I need anything at all, I was expecting to go here [Scripps Mercy]. We actually toured the hospital, so we know where it is and we know the location, we just needed to establish care," Gutierrez said.
Before it closed its maternity ward, Scripps Chula Vista said it provided 14% of deliveries for mothers who live in the South Bay.
Berenice Sanchez said her son was born at that hospital four years ago.
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“A lot of people around here go there because it has a good location for emergencies," Sanchez said.
Both of them were surprised to found out Scripps Mercy Chula Vista closed its maternity ward unit this past June.
“Let’s say my husband is at work, I need to run to the hospital for some reason, that’s the closest hospital we have. So if it’s closed, you’re closing the services for everyone around here," Gutierrez said.
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Earlier this year, Scripps officials told NBC 7 they were moving their labor and delivery services from Chula Vista to the Hillcrest location to make more beds available for patients needing emergency care.
In March, they said in a statement, "Scripps is committed to meeting the needs of the entire community and this move is the way we can meet the most pressing needs now."
Perla said she would now have to go to Sharp Chula Vista, making the commute for her delivery a little longer.
Berenice knows that when the baby is ready, time is of the essence.
“When you have to go to the hospital and you have an emergency, you have to go. There’s no time for waiting,” Sanchez said.
Health leaders told NBC 7 that the Chula Vista location would still be equipped to handle emergency deliveries. NBC 7 reached out to Scripps Mercy Chula Vista. They said they would be available for comment on Monday.
NBC 7 reached out to Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center to ask if they have seen increased traffic in their maternity unit and have not heard back.
