Philadelphia eyes closure’s effect on OB care

Philadelphia health leaders believe the closure of Chestnut Hill Hospital's maternity unit will not endanger the city's pregnant women, but some fear problems could grow and hope a new monitoring effort will alert them to trouble. Officials said other hospitals near Chestnut Hill, including Albert Einstein Medical Center and Abington Memorial Hospital, will be able to absorb the 1,000 babies a year that Chestnut Hill Hospital has been delivering. Chestnut Hill recently announced that it is closing its maternity unit, saying that the relatively small size of the program could not financially support the required services.