Expectant mothers in Alberta Health Services' Calgary zone, which includes the City of Airdrie, may have to travel to a different hospital as of next week.

AHS has announced that effective April 21, all maternity services will be consolidated to three hospitals: Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview General Hospital and Peter Lougheed Centre.

This means that all inpatient obstetrical and neonatal care currently provided at High River Hospital and Calgary's South Health Campus' Women's Health Program, delivered through the family maternity place, will be transferred to one of the other three centres. Maternity services at High River Hospital will be relocated to Rockyview for the time being.

The women's health outpatient clinics at both SHC and HRH will remain open.

Anyone scheduled to deliver at either SHC or HRH after April 21 can expect to be contacted by their obstetricians, family physicians, and midwives to make arrangements at one of the other three hospitals. AHS assures families that they will continue to receive the full services to follow through with birth plans.

Consolidating the maternity services will help free up space at Calgary zone hospitals and ensure there is adequate resources for the anticipated surge in COVID-19 patients.

Despite seven staff members testing positive for COVID-19 at the Foothills Medical Centre last week, Dr. Deena Hinshaw ensures there is no increased risk to pregnant patients at the facility.

"As soon as tests came back positive, health officials took immediate action to limit the spread to staff and protect patients," Hinshaw says. "No patients were affected and no new staff cases have been reported in the past week. The maternity units continue to be a safe and appropriate place to deliver babies and receive care."