The Coalition for Newport Hospital Birthing Center is dedicated to protecting and sustaining access to local, high-quality maternal and newborn care for Newport County and Aquidneck Island families. We advocate for the continued operation of the Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital, recognizing its essential role in community health, public safety, and equitable access to care.

The Noreen Stonor Drexel Birthing Center at Newport Hospital has served generations of families with compassionate, high-quality maternal and newborn care. Its continued operation is essential to the health, safety, and well-being of our community.

The Coalition for Newport Hospital Birthing Center brings together residents, healthcare professionals, and civic leaders to ensure that local families can continue to give birth safely, close to home.

Local access to obstetric and maternal healthcare is not a convenience — it is a public health necessity.

The Birthing Center at Newport Hospital:

• Provides essential maternal and newborn care for Newport and surrounding communities

• Supports safe pregnancies and timely deliveries, especially during emergencies

• Reduces health risks for mothers and infants by keeping care local and accessible

• Serves families who may face transportation, mobility, or financial barriers

• Represents decades of community investment that cannot be easily replaced

If the Birthing Center were to close, expectant mothers would be forced to travel significantly farther for care — a risk that is compounded by ongoing road and bridge construction across Rhode Island and the time-sensitive nature of childbirth.

Closure of the Birthing Center would have consequences far beyond the hospital itself.

Without local delivery services:

• Newport Fire and Rescue would face increased emergency transport demands

• Ambulances and personnel could be diverted from other critical calls

• Emergency response times across the city could be impacted

Maintaining local birthing services helps protect not only families, but the overall emergency readiness of the Newport community.

In a resolution passed unanimously, the Newport City Council formally recognized the importance of the Birthing Center and called for its continued operation.

The Council:

• Urged Brown Health and Newport Hospital leadership to maintain full operation of the Birthing Center

• Called on state and federal officials, healthcare stakeholders, and the broader community to support local maternal care

• Expressed the City’s willingness to partner in sustainable solutions to keep the Birthing Center open

This resolution reflects broad public concern and a shared commitment to preserving essential healthcare services for Newport residents.

The Coalition for Newport Hospital Birthing Center is a community-based effort made up of:

• Newport County residents and families

• Healthcare workers and advocates

• Civic leaders and community organizations

We believe that decisions about essential healthcare services should consider community impact, equity, public safety, and long-term health outcomes, not just short-term financial pressures.