by: denise ryan
natalie meyers, the mother of a newborn in surrey, b.c., travelled 19.5 kilometres to langley memorial hospital due to a maternity ward closure at peace arch hospital on june 8. she nearly gave birth in the car, and was rushed into emergency surgery minutes later to save her from a postpartum hemorrhage
“it was life or death,” said meyers, who lives about two minutes away from white rock’s peace arch hospital, where her midwife has privileges and she had planned to give birth.
as peace arch hospital’s maternity ward faces another closure, from july 9 to july 19, due to what fraser health is calling a “gap in pediatrician coverage,” meyers is speaking out about her harrowing experience, and urges health authorities to do more.
“you are putting women who are already vulnerable, in a more vulnerable state. to not know where you can deliver, or deliver safely, feels like a disservice to all of us,” said meyers.
dr. semion strovski, head of peace arch maternity clinic and co-head of the peace arch department of obstetrics and gynecology, said the hospital has struggled for years to recruit qualified pediatricians, leading to patient diversions.
peace arch has four full-time pediatricians on staff, said strovski, but peace arch does not have a pediatric nursery or observation unit, so if a newborn needs support or care for the first few days of life it must be transferred to another hospital.