N.B. woman gives birth on the side of the highway due to hospital service disruption

Mariah glenda jackson ne'er thought she would be delivering a babe on the face of a main road — but that’s exactly what happened on April 19, when her third child was born.

Jackson said baby Liam will likely hear the story about being delivered next to Trans-Canada Highway marker 242 for the rest of his life.

She and her partner, Fernando Gonzalez, live only seven minutes from the Upper River Valley Hospital in Waterville. 

But they were required to travel to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton — over an hour away — because labour and delivery services at their local hospital were closed that day.

Roadside birth during obstetrics department closure prompts calls for change

Although Jackson advised health-care providers before the birth that she usually labours quickly, she said there were no alternate plans or added support offered. 

Liam is healthy now, but his parents are speaking out about the experience because it was stressful and scary — and they believe it shouldn’t have happened.

“I'm not a nurse, right? I'm a father. I was, I was not gonna let anything happen, or try my best for nothing to go wrong, but I was in shock,” Gonzalez said.

“When he came out … he was blue, like I just, he was in my hands and like he wasn't doing anything. I was really scared.”

Jackson said she felt panicked until paramedics arrived, about 10 minutes after the birth.

“Neither of us know what to do with that scenario,” she said. “Like, are we doing the right thing?”

Since 2021, Upper River Valley Hospital obstetrics services have been suspended at least once — and as many as five times — each year.

Bill Hogan, the Progressive Conservative MLA representing Woodstock-Hartland, was concerned about the couple’s story.

“Someone’s going to die, a baby and/or a mother,” he said, speaking to reporters at the legislature.

Hogan said the story shows health-care system issues aren't being addressed by government fast enough.

Horizon Health Network did not make anyone available for an interview about the couple’s story. 

Dr. Ken Gillespie, the physician lead of the women and children’s health program, said in a statement Horizon is unable to discuss specifics about an individual patient’s care.

“We recognize that temporary diversions of labour and birth services are deeply unsettling for expectant families, and we take seriously any concern where a patient did not feel they had a clear plan in place,” Gillespie said.

“When a temporary diversion has been confirmed, unit staff directly contact patients who are 35 weeks or more into their pregnancy to notify them of the change and to answer any questions.”

Gillespie said any patients “with concerns about their specific circumstances” should speak to their health-care provider to come up with an individual plan.

“Anyone who goes into labour suddenly or experiences an obstetrical emergency — as with any medical emergency — should call 911 immediately or proceed to the nearest emergency department,” he said.  

“These situations remain extremely rare. Nearly every birth in New Brunswick occurs in hospital under the care of clinical teams, in addition to hospital births and home births that take place under the care of a midwife.”  

So far this year, Ambulance New Brunswick has responded to 10 pregnancy-related calls involving patients who were on the way to a hospital. 

“Because our records do not always indicate whether a delivery occurred before arrival at the hospital, we are unable to provide a precise number of births that took place en route,” said spokesperson Kate Jenkins.

“In any case, paramedics are trained and equipped to assist with emergency childbirth in a variety of settings when labour progresses more quickly than expected.”

Dr. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck worked in labour and delivery in New Brunswick for 20 years and is now president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

“This shouldn't happen. We shouldn't be having, you know, frequent closures of obstetrical units in New Brunswick or anywhere else,” Murphy-Kaulbeck said in an interview.

“What we're seeing is that, when you do close units, it increases stress for women, families and also, you know, increases the risk to those moms that have to travel that long distance.”

Murphy-Kaulbeck said giving birth while travelling to a hospital can be traumatic for parents.

Jackson and Gonzalez both said their experience affected their mental health in the weeks that followed.

Miramichi hospital labour and delivery services suspended until May 18

“I was really nervous those first couple weeks that, what if something's wrong? Like, what if they missed something?” Jackson said.

“With my other two kids, I was worried, too, but I find this time it was like 1,000 times worse than it was before.”

Murphy-Kaulbeck said since 2018, she has been advocating for New Brunswick to have a maternal-neonatal transport system — separate from regular ambulance services.

“Complications can occur on the side of the road, and part of the problem, you know, a big part of that problem, is … what services are available to get to that woman, if there is a complication?” she said.

"You're competing with, like I said, all of the other services for ambulance … If you do not have a dedicated maternal neonatal transport system, then there is no guarantee there is going to be transport available in a timely fashion for, for mom and, or baby."

Murphy-Kaulbeck said obstetrics is often not prioritized by government, despite being what she calls a "basic service," because there are so many different health system issues.

The province didn't grant an interview with the health minister on the subject.

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