Crisis situation in MV: maternity wards are in danger of disappearing!

Crisis situation in MV: maternity wards are in danger of disappearing!

In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, statistics show worrying developments in the field of obstetric care. The number of obstetric departments has fallen sharply since the fall of communism. Northern Courier reports that in 1991 there were 30 hospital locations for maternity, while this number fell to 22 by 2001. There are currently only 15 maternity wards operating in the state.

The decline is alarming: around 9,360 births were registered in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2023, a decrease of 26 percent compared to 2018. Health Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) expresses concern about this development and emphasizes the need for a reform of obstetric care to ensure the quality of care. NDR highlights that the minister proposes to offer more outpatient services and expand telemedicine in order to provide better care for pregnant women.

The situation of obstetrics

With almost half of the locations caring for fewer than 600 births per year, the economic situation of many clinics is becoming critical. News.de also reports that the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Clinic in Neubrandenburg has the best care ratio with a care quotient of 46.78. Nevertheless, large clinics such as the Klinikum Südstadt Rostock, which recorded the most deliveries (2,193), must be viewed as below average in terms of care with a higher care quotient of 65.51.

The revision of the state hospital law is intended to help better address the needs of women before, during and after birth. A central point is quality-assured care close to home. The State Women's Council is calling for a strategy that ensures such offers. The discussion about central boarding houses for pregnant women before giving birth is therefore becoming increasingly relevant, especially in sparsely populated areas such as the Mecklenburg Lake District.

The look into the future

However, the decline in birth rates in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania can have serious consequences. The quality of care could decrease if there are fewer than 600 births per clinic. The Health Commission has already presented initial reform goals to counteract this trend. The focus will be on creating medical centers that offer a variety of services.

Almost 10,000 births were expected in 2023, which is again below the numbers from 2013 (12,500) and 1990 (23,500). It turns out that the decline in the number of women of childbearing age remains a key problem. There is therefore an urgent need for action to strengthen obstetric care in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and to guarantee pregnant women good care.