The closure of maternity services in Massachusetts. The causes, process, and hospital impact.

There has been a decline in the number of maternity services in Massachusetts from 120 in 1960 to 65 in 1975. Further consolidation must be carefully thought out with all options and possible outcomes thoroughly explored. The Massachusetts Maternity and Newborn Regionalization Project and the Massachusetts Hospital Association conducted a preliminary survey of Massachusetts Maternity services that had closed to understand the causes, process,, and hospital impact. The findings of this preliminary investigation, in addition to identifying areas for more intensive future research, provide some observations that should be of assistance to those considering a maternity service closure.