Mass. DPH to Hold April 9 Hearing on Framingham Union Hospital’s Proposed Maternity Downgrade, Raising Concerns for Vulnerable Mothers

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The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will hold a public hearing on April 9th to discuss the plans to downgrade maternity services at Framingham Union Hospital from a Level IIB Special Care Nursery to a Level I Well Baby Nursery. The proposed changes would limit care to healthy full-term babies or those born close to their due date, typically 35 weeks or later. City officials and nurses have expressed concerns about the impact on low-income and high-risk mothers, who may need to be transferred to other hospitals for specialized care.