IRONWOOD –In September, Aspirus Health made the decision to change the obstetrics (OB) model in Ironwood at the end of the year. The announcement brought heated responses from several legislators in Lansing and the Michigan Nurses Association, but Aspirus cites a number of reasons for the decision to end non-emergency OB deliveries at its Ironwood hospital by Dec. 31.

According to its Sept. release, the region around Ironwood Hospital has a steadily declining and aging population, a small number of households with children, and low birth rates. The facility has averaged fewer than 90 births per year for the past five years, making it difficult to sustain high-quality delivery services due to the recruitment and retention of specialized team members and OB physicians.

Since June 2024, the

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