Singing River Gulfport to suspend labor and delivery

Singing River Gulfport announced today that effective April 1, the hospital is suspending its obstetrics department — including labor and delivery.

Employees were given a 30-day notice.

The decision stemmed from a lack of provider coverage and Singing River said it hoped the suspension would be temporary.

“Like many health systems across the nation, we currently face a shortage of OB physicians,” SRHS said in a statement. “While the decision to suspend services was not something we wanted to do, we are hopeful it is only temporary and that we can reinstate services in the near future.”

Singing River Health System said it would give employees at Gulfport an opportunity to transfer within the hospital system.

“We will continue to search for long-term solutions to bring back OB services to Singing River Gulfport and our community … We are committed to ensuring our patients receive the best care possible now and in the future to ensure we can continue providing access to high-quality, comprehensive care in our communities.”