East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital has announced plans to close its Obstetrics/Labor & Delivery Unit effective Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.
The announcement was made Sept. 4 in compliance with the State of California’s requirement that public notice of 120 days be given for closure of any hospital unit. A public hearing on this matter will convene on Friday, Nov. 13, at 10 a.m. at East Los Angeles Doctors Hospital.
This has been a difficult decision under discussion for some time by hospital leaders and executives of the parent company, Pipeline Health.
Operating costs have exceeded the revenue generated for some time. While the hospital has delivered generations of babies over decades, deliveries have declined dramatically in recent years, from an average of 30+ per month to a monthly average of 20 over the last seven months.
The closure reflects a national trend of OB unit closures primarily due to financial pressures and declining birth rates.
Going forward, the OB unit will continue to provide services as usual between now and Jan. 12, 2026. After Jan. 12, our Emergency Department will care for imminent deliveries. If medically appropriate, and only to the extent allowable by law, patients in labor will be transferred safely to another facility.
Patients with due dates after Jan. 12 will make decisions with their physicians regarding where they will plan to deliver.
9.4.2025