PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — As population growth surges along the Treasure Coast, the need for maternity care is reaching an all time high, placing new pressure on healthcare providers and facilities.
It’s a trend that OB-GYN Dr. Laura McCurdy with Women’s Health Specialists sees firsthand.
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“Almost on a daily basis, I get requests. Not just for people who are newly pregnant, but for people who are in their second trimester or third trimester,” McCurdy said. “We are seeing a big influx.”
While the area's rapid growth plays a role, the recent closure of the maternity unit at Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital has further strained the region’s capacity for childbirth services.
“When that closure happened, we certainly saw a large influx at the other Cleveland Clinic hospital out at Tradition,” McCurdy added.
However, much-needed relief is on the way. HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital is finishing construction on two new hospital floors, one of which will be fully dedicated to labor and delivery services.
“So the needs are definitely we see from a capacity perspective, just accommodating the number of deliveries and then also the acuity of services—even having the NICU,” said Corey Lovelace, CEO of HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital.
The hospital reports that births this August were nearly five times higher than the same month last year, rising from 26 deliveries in August of 2024 to 140 in August of 2025.
To meet that demand, the expansion will include 25 new labor and delivery beds, 10 of which will be Level II NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) beds. Additional Level III NICU beds are expected to open shortly after.
Healthcare leaders in the region say the expansion couldn’t have come at a better time.
“I think it’s a wise decision that HCA St. Lucie decided to expand the way that they did. It was very timely and very proactive,” said Samantha Suffich, CEO of the Martin County Healthy Start Coalition. “It should relieve that pressure for the entire system right now.”
Dr. McCurdy agrees that the added capacity will benefit not just hospitals, but also prenatal care providers.
“I do see the expansion providing relief for all of us prenatal providers as well as for all of us doing deliveries still. It allows for us to accommodate the extra volume.”
Women’s Health Specialists recently decided to relocate all of their deliveries to HCA Florida St. Lucie Hospital this August in response to the improved services and NICU access.
“It’s much less likely we’ll have to ever transfer our patients and our patients will have care even in those circumstances of prematurity,” said McCurdy.
Hospital officials say the new hospital floors are expected to open sometime in December or January.
