We the undersigned oppose Southcoast Hospital Group's decision to close the maternity unit at Tobey Hospital, known as the FCU or Makepeace Center, on December 31, 2019.

•             This unit is essential to the community, welcoming nearly 400 new babies annually.

•             It has some of the best birth outcomes in the state of Massachusetts due to its low intervention philosophy and approach.

•             It provides moms, babies, and families with exceptional, unique care that is built around the “Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative,” which emphasizes rooming in, immediate skin-to-skin contact, and supporting a mother's personal feeding choice with education and instruction.

•             It has valuable, longstanding relationships with highly respected obstetricians and midwives in the area.

Southcoast's timeline and plan for closing the FCU at Tobey comes with additional risks. After closure, expectant Tobey moms will be directed to get their care at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford — a hospital which also has the baby friendly designation but is really known for its care of high risk mothers and babies and which has, unfortunately, been chronically understaffed, and currently would struggle to accommodate such an influx of new patients. Additionally, the closure of this unit means that the region will lose yet another maternity unit, thereby solidifying the area's status as a “maternity-care desert for expectant mothers.”

We ask that Southcoast stay committed to helping local moms, babies, and families by keeping Tobey's maternity unit open.

On Oct. 23, 2019, patients, families, nurses, providers and other advocates packed a Department of Public Health hearing room to urge Southcoast Health to preserve the maternity unit at Tobey Hospital.