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In Maternity Care Deserts, 'Stork Club' Dispatchers Help Moms Deliver Babies By Phone

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Earlier this year, Lakes Region General Hospital closed its labor and delivery unit, citing a declining number of deliveries. Now some women in labor may have to travel greater distances to deliver their babies in a hospital.

But what if the baby just can't wait?

Mothers could go to emergency rooms, but if that is too far away, a member of the so-called New Hampshire 9-1-1"stork club" could come to the rescue. These dispatchers talk mothers and fathers through the delivery of a baby by phone.

Derrick Corney is a member of this group and he joins All Things Considered host Peter Biello to talk about his job.

Listen to their conversation:

Peter Biello is the host of All Things Considered and Writers on a New England Stage at New Hampshire Public Radio. He has served as a producer/announcer/host of Weekend Edition Saturday at Vermont Public Radio and as a reporter/host of Morning Edition at WHQR in Wilmington, North Carolina.
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