Scripps Chula Vista closed its maternity ward. Why are pregnant women still showing up?

Shutting down maternity services at Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista has not stopped pregnant women from showing up in its emergency department in need of obstetric services.

Scripps said last week that since closing Scripps Chula Vista’s labor and delivery unit on June 23, a total of 37 obstetrics patients — about one per day — have turned up despite the fact the medical provider spent three months publicizing the closure.

Many more did get the message. Nearby Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center reported that through July 16, the number of deliveries it has handled has increased by 47 percent, showing that many local obstetricians and gynecologists moved their deliveries across town when Scripps began notifying the community of the change.

According to state records, Scripps Chula Vista discharged 1,686 newborns in 2023 compared with 2,396 at Sharp Chula Vista during the same period. Scripps administration cited low delivery volume, and a need for more space to treat adult patients, as the main reasons for the maternity unit’s closure.

But while Sharp officials say they have been able to handle the additional traffic, Scripps did not provide more information on why some women continue to arrive at Scripps Chula Vista.

The influx, Sharp officials report, caused an average daily census of 22 obstetrics patients in Sharp Chula Vista’s 28-bed labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit. On occasion, there have been...