MaineHealth董事会已投票决定关闭位于缅因州达马里斯科塔的Lincoln Hospital产妇分娩部门，计划于12月18日关闭[1]。该决定尽管遭到州长Janet Mills、国会议员Chellie Pingree及多个社区组织的反对，但MaineHealth以低出生率和人员招聘困难为由推进了这一关闭计划[1]。
这是自2015年以来缅因州第12个关闭的产妇分娩部门[1]。分娩服务将转至布伦瑞克的Mid Coast Hospital[1]。关闭后，林肯、沃尔多和萨加达霍克三个县的医院都将无法提供分娩服务[1]。在缅因州34家医院中，少于半数将继续提供分娩服务[1]。
MaineHealth承诺在未来两年内不会关闭任何其他产妇分娩部门[1]。一名预产期为1月的Lincoln County孕妇曾于周三提起诉讼试图阻止该关闭，但法官于周四驳回了其紧急初步禁令申请[1]。民主党州长候选人Hannah Pingree表示："MaineHealth有选择，我认为他们今天做出了错误的选择"[1]。
MaineHealth's board voted Thursday to shut down the labor and delivery unit at Lincoln Hospital in Damariscotta, Maine, effective December 18[1]. Maternity services will be transferred to Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick[1].
The closure marks the twelfth labor and delivery unit to close in Maine since 2015[1], leaving Lincoln, Waldo, and Sagadahoc counties without hospital-based delivery services[1]. Among Maine's 34 hospitals, fewer than half will continue to offer maternity care[1]. MaineHealth attributed the decision to low birth volumes and staffing recruitment challenges[1].
The decision faced significant political opposition. Governor Janet Mills, U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree, and three state gubernatorial candidates opposed the closure[1]. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Hannah Pingree stated, "MaineHealth has choices, and I believe they made the wrong choice today"[1]. A Lincoln County pregnant woman with a January due date sought to block the closure through legal action, but a judge rejected her emergency preliminary injunction request on Thursday[1]. MaineHealth has committed not to close any other labor and delivery units over the next two years[1].