Hospital system expands prenatal care access for expecting mothers in need

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has opened a new Pregnancy and Wellness Center to ensure that every expecting mother, regardless of her medical or financial circumstances, has access to prenatal care.

The center, located on the SMH Clark Road campus at 5880 Rand Blvd., is designed to help close gaps amid a nationwide shortage of obstetricians delivering babies and as hospitals increasingly close their labor and delivery units because of financial and staffing shortfalls. According to SMH, as many as 86% of rural Florida hospitals have stopped delivering babies, creating maternity care deserts.

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“Access to safe, high-quality prenatal care is a fundamental necessity for a healthy community,” said Dr. James Fiorica, chief medical officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. “As the region’s safety net hospital and only one delivering babies in Sarasota County, Sarasota Memorial is doubling down on our commitment to help women through this crisis.”

The hospital welcomes anyone who is pregnant — especially those having a hard time establishing care or who are new to the area — are welcome even in the absence of health insurance. Self-pay and sliding scale pay options are available for those who are underinsured or uninsured. Medicaid application assistance will also be provided for those who qualify.

The new facility comes on the heels of SMH’s pregnancy care team, established in summer 2025 with three experienced labor and delivery/postpartum nurses serving as OB navigators and providing free guidance and referrals to support women throughout their pregnancy. Since then, the clinicians have helped hundreds of pregnant women secure ongoing prenatal care.