Idaho Pregnancy Center Seeks to Add Obstetric Care After Local Hospital Closure

A crisis pregnancy center in Sandpoint, Idaho, plans to add obstetric services after the local hospital closed its labor and delivery unit three years ago. The 7B Care Clinic has operated since 2001 and currently provides pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, parenting classes, and free supplies.

Executive Director Janine Shepard said traffic has increased since the hospital's OB-GYNs left the state. The clinic is an affiliate of Care Net, a network of more than 1,200 similar centers. It receives donations from individuals, businesses, and over 40 churches.

Shepard said the organization plans to expand its building once the mortgage is paid and is negotiating with a hospital 30 miles away in Washington state to provide weekly prenatal care.

Sandpoint, a town of more than 10,000, lost its labor and delivery services in 2023. By December 2024, Idaho had lost one-third of its OB-GYNs following the 2022 Supreme Court decision that ended nationwide abortion rights. Shepard said the clinic would not be considering expansion if obstetric care were still available locally.

Sabin, a licensed midwife in nearby Bonners Ferry, said the free services help low-income women who lack insurance or face travel barriers. Amelia Huntsberger, an OB-GYN who left Sandpoint after practicing there more than ten years, noted the parenting classes and support groups but questioned whether the center should resemble a medical facility.

Andrea Swartzendruber, an associate professor at the University of Georgia, said crisis pregnancy centers have operated in healthcare access gaps for years but lack the infrastructure to provide comprehensive obstetric care. The Department of Health and Human Services launched a website on May 10 that includes a map directing users to pregnancy centers.