Merrimack Health Shuts Methuen Birthing Center Early Despite Safety Gaps

The abrupt timeline leaves staff and expectant parents in limbo, as the facility was originally scheduled to shutter on August 1. Nurses represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) report that management failed to address critical DPH requirements, specifically regarding the readiness of the Lawrence facility to handle increased patient volume. Concerns persist over the availability of operating rooms and the hospital's ability to manage seasonal delivery spikes without compromising care standards.

Karen Powers, a longtime nurse at the center, noted that many staff members had adjusted their personal lives to remain through the original August date. Instead, they face a premature exit that disrupts continuity for families who expected to deliver in Methuen. The MNA is now urging the DPH to install staff at the Lawrence campus to monitor patient safety, arguing that the agency’s historical pattern of requiring transition plans has often lacked the necessary follow-up to protect community health. This closure marks the 13th maternity unit loss in the Commonwealth over the last 15 years.