Expectant parents stressed by ongoing closure of Bathurst obstetrics unit

With their first child expected in just two weeks, Bathurst, N.B.,coupleMlanieand TylerFrigaultare anxiously counting the days.

But Mlanie Frigaultis also getting anxious about the possibility of going into labour and havingto travel toMiramichito deliver her baby.

"We have to drive an extra hour just to get to the hospital," she said. "Plus winter conditions, storm conditions and that's just the reality of the climate here."

Frigault'shusband works an hour out of town, so she's also worried he won't get to the hospital on time - when the time comes.

The obstetrics unit at theChaleurRegional Hospital closed on Nov. 5 and health officials say it will remain so until further notice.

"It's kind of disappointing that we can't start our family in our hometown, especially when the services are here," said Frigault.

TheVitalitHealth Network blames a lack of nurses for the closure.

Part of birth

Frigaulthad hoped theobstetrics team of nurses and doctors, which she describes as "great" and "helpful" throughout her pregnancy, would be a part of the birth as well.

"Now it's more of a stress than anything else," she said. "Ifind it heartbreaking that we can't finish this journey with the people that we started with."

BathurstMayorPaoloFongemiereached out on social media to find out how many people were affected by the unit's closure.

"I was bombarded by a lot of private messages from young women," he said. "Yes, they are concerned and it's another level of anxiety to add to a new experience of them giving birth."

The mayor said the unit's closure is not just affecting theBathurstregion, but also the Acadian Peninsula.

"The province closed all the obstetricuntisin the past and centralized all the services inBathurstand now inBathurstwe can't offer that service and we don't know when it's going to be restored."

'Lose confidence'

The mayor said one woman told him she was asked to make arrangements withMiramichito have her baby delivered there in January while others are going ahead and doing it on their own.

"I felt people were starting to lose confidence," he said. "It's a very unfortunate situation but there has to be a solution that comes forward, it's hurting the whole north."

While all new mothers told the mayor they had received excellent care in their language of choice inMiramichi, it was still stressful.

Retention concerns

Fongemiesaid it's frustrating not to have an end in sight for the "temporary" closure. He'salso concerned about the retention offive obstetricians who haven't been working since early November.

"We are working hard to grow the north,"Fongemiesaid.

"So the hospital plays a key role. It's not really reassuring that we have a key service like that that's not being offered to the population up north."

Fongemiesaid he'slooking forward to meeting withGillesLanteigne, CEO ofVitalitHealth Network, in the near future.

Lanteignesaid the health network has an action planin place to get the unit open as soon as possible.

Three part plan

The plan includes recruiting, which he says has been successful in other hospitals.

"As you know, obstetrics is a very tricky area to be in so we're working on it."

Lanteignesays they are expecting some staff that has been on leave to return to work soon. He added that arrangements are being made to make the unit more functional.

The CEO said the unit had to be closed when some staff left for new opportunities and others went out on leave. He described it as a "perfect storm."

Lanteignesaid the obstetrics unit would not open until there is a solid plan in place.

"We're certainly hoping we can open in a couple of months," he said. "This is an essential service and we want to provide the moms of the whole region with the quality care that is safe. As soon as we have that we'll communicate it."