The obstetrics unit and Women’s Health Clinic will close Sept. 30 because of a decrease in births, UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown officials announced Monday.

“There simply aren’t enough women choosing to deliver locally,” said Jennifer Friedly, president of UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown. “This is a problem that has been going on for a long time … there are enough women becoming pregnant, but they are going elsewhere to deliver.”

She said the local hospital had significantly relied upon the recommendations of three nationally known health care consultants to assess and evaluate data around services that are needed and supported.

“When it came down to it, our consultants said this (obstetrics) was a service the community can not support.”

She also cited the inability to attract a second obstetrician as a significant factor in the closure.

Friedly said 32 jobs are impacted by the decision but efforts are being made to place those employees within the organization or at other UnityPoint facilities. Staff were informed of the decision Friday.

Over the past six years there has been a 45 percent decrease in the number of births at the OB unit, officials said, and in March the hospital recorded the lowest number of deliveries, 18, in its history.

“It’s clear OB/GYN patients are already selecting Ames and Des Moines for their care,” a news release from UnityPoint Health –Marshalltown said.

Emergency room doctors are trained to care for women and infants in emergency situations, including labor and delivery, officials said.

Monday’s announcement marks another closure of a longtime health care service provided locally.

In June 2018, UnityPoint Health announced the closure of its Marshalltown cath lab and in November 2018 announced its intensive care unit would close. However, hospital officials said in November that despite the closures, the facility remained a full-service hospital and staff would focus on providing emergency department care, obstetrics and more.

A commitment to obstetrics was also evidenced in February of this year, when the UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown Foundation announced a fundraising campaign to purchase equipment for the Birthing Center.

“Providing a safe and welcoming environment for birthing is one of the most important services a local hospital offers,” UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown Foundation board member and past president Kathy McCune said then. “Families value the opportunity to choose local when it comes to birthing for many reasons, including quality of care, convenience, and family history.”

On Monday, Friedly said the obstetrics/Women’s Care Center closing would be the last and final service that will be closing for the foreseeable future.

“We will continue to provide women’s and pediatrics services at our out-patient clinics in Conrad, Marshalltown, State Center and Tama-Toledo,” Friedley said.

Marshall County Public Health Nurse Pat Thompson said the closures are a loss.

She did not immediately have figures available to estimate how many residents might be impacted by the closures.

“It (obstetrics) is a good department, with good people,” she said. “I delivered my son there.”

Calls to human resource directors with the City of Marshalltown and Iowa Veterans Home concerning the closure’s impact on the ability to attract and hire candidates were not returned by press time.

UnityPoint Health — Marshalltown purchased Central Iowa Healthcare in 2017 following bankruptcy proceedings. The rapid change of health care has continually been cited as a reason for loss of services at the local hospital.