Pregnant women who were planning on giving birth at Alliston’s Stevenson Memorial Hospital must now make alternate plans, as the hospital has closed its obstetrics unit.

Whether the decision is permanent won’t be known until March 31 at the latest. This is when a report is due from a newly established 14- member Volunteer Community Advisory Committee to Explore Options to Maintain a Fully Sustainable Obstetrics Unit at Stevenson Memorial Hospital.

The committee will look at viable options to re-establish the obstetrics unit and give its recommendations and a timeline on how to proceed.

The committee will include midwives, local and provincial officials, doctors, hospital and community members.

A letter has already been written requesting representation for all the various groups by the board’s chair.

The decision to close the unit came from the Board of Directors on Dec. 15.

They acted on recommendations from both the medical and nursing advisory committees that had concerns for patient safety as there is only one obstetrician at the hospital.

To maintain an appropriate on-call schedule the department needs a minimum of three obstetricians.

“It’s not fair or responsible to put all that responsibility on one person’s shoulders,” said Edward Takaces, chief executive officer.

“We will do, through this committee, all that we can to ensure obstetrics is ultimately maintained at Stevenson Memorial Hospital,” he said. “But of course this is dependent upon a safe, viable and sustainable program.”

The committee will hold its first meeting on Jan. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the New Tecumseth council chambers, at 10 Wellington Street East in Alliston.