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Ob-Gyn Unit Closure Takes Toll On Midwife Clinic

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One of the only remaining providers of pregnancy care in Las Vegas is struggling with the lack of an ob-gyn unit at the hospital there. 

Alta Vista Regional Hospital closed the unit in March. The hospital said they’re having a hard time finding doctors and nurses to work there.

Connie Trujillo said it’s going to be hard to build a unit that will serve the community’s needs – and to build it from scratch. She’s a Certified Nurse Midwife at Alumbra Women’s Health and Maternity Services in Las Vegas.

“The rug was really pulled out from under the whole community,” Trujillo said. “The women, the providers, the nurses, the families, the fathers, everybody.”

Midwives must team up with ob-gyn’s and Trujillo said it’s especially disappointing for women with established relationships with midwives who now have to travel to for delivery services.

Staffing woes are familiar to Alumbra, but Trujillo said if they can hire and retain staff, the hospital should be able to as well.

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KUNM's Public Health New Mexico project is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the McCune Charitable Foundation. Find more at www.publichealthnm.org.

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