OB-GYN Shortage Forces Five-Day Maternity Ward Closure at Maple Ridge Hospital
The maternity ward at Ridge Meadows Hospital in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, will temporarily close for five days starting Thursday, February 12, 2026, due to a critical shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists. Fraser Health announced the closure on Monday morning, stating that patients in labor will be diverted to other hospitals from February 12 at 8:00 a.m. until February 17 at 8:00 a.m.
Similar Closure at Peace Arch Hospital
This announcement coincides with the reopening of the maternity ward at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock, which had just completed a similar five-day closure. Fraser Health attributed both incidents to a temporary shortage of OB-GYN doctors at these facilities on specific dates. In a statement, the health authority explained, "Because of a temporary shortage of obstetrician-gynecologists at Peace Arch and Ridge Meadows hospitals on select dates, people in labor who had planned to give birth at these hospitals may be guided to another maternity site to deliver their baby."
Broader Healthcare Crisis in British Columbia
Adam Thompson, president of Doctors of B.C., highlighted that these diversions are symptomatic of a larger, provincewide shortage of physicians and healthcare workers. "A lot of this is coming from that chronic shortage of maternity care providers that's going across several communities," Thompson said. "Diversion is symptomatic of the broader, provincewide physician and health-care worker shortage that we have in British Columbia."
Last year, similar temporary closures occurred across the province, with some patients in remote communities traveling up to 600 kilometers to deliver their babies. Jason Burrows, medical director and regional department head for the maternal infant child youth program in Fraser Health, identified several factors driving the OB-GYN shortage:
- Fewer family doctors offering maternity care
- A decline in the number of midwives providing full maternity services
- Increased workload for OB-GYNs who must handle both primary and complex care
Underlying Causes and Recruitment Efforts
Burrows noted that in the communities served by Peace Arch and Ridge Meadows hospitals, rapid population growth, an aging workforce, and unexpected retirements or leaves have exacerbated staffing issues. To address the crisis, Fraser Health is exploring national and international recruitment strategies and targeting medical trainees as they complete their residency programs.
"It's a challenge to train obstetricians. It takes time, and we haven't been able to keep up," Burrows admitted. Thompson echoed this sentiment, advocating for expanded specialist training starting from medical schools. "We've not been keeping up with the number of physicians that we need to train to address the population crunch that we're having," he said.
Thompson also called for reforms to regional and provincial credentialing systems to facilitate easier movement of physicians across health authorities.
Patient Guidance and Communication
Fraser Health has established a dedicated website to provide updates on maternity services at both Ridge Meadows and Peace Arch hospitals. Affected patients have been contacted directly, and those in labor or with pregnancy concerns are advised to call the maternity units at these hospitals for direction to an appropriate facility.
The temporary closure underscores the ongoing struggles in British Columbia's healthcare system, particularly in maternity care, as authorities scramble to find sustainable solutions amidst growing demand and limited resources.
