Another Inland Empire hospital is set to close their labor and delivery ward in the coming months, marking at least the second such instance in the last two years.

The Southwest Healthcare Corona Regional Medical Center announced on Thursday that they will be discontinuing their maternity services, which oversees labor and delivery, on January 30, 2026. They plan to take their last patients for delivery on Jan. 23.

"The decision was based on the declining birth rate in the county over the past few years, a trend which is expected to continue," said a statement from a spokesperson for Southwest Healthcare.

Hospital officials say that the extra space will be used to help decrease wait times in the emergency room and allow for a better patient experience. They also hope that the number of

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