VALENTINE, Neb. - Before most people had finished their morning coffee on Tuesday, Cherry County Hospital had already welcomed four new lives into the world.

It’s part of a growing trend in Valentine: since Winner Regional Hospital in South Dakota stopped offering labor and delivery services on Feb. 1, Cherry County Hospital has seen a noticeable increase in the number of expectant mothers turning to them for care.

“This is an extremely important service,” said Cherry County Hospital CEO Jim Bargen. “We’re the only ones in the region offering labor and delivery—from Chadron to O'Neill, and from Pierre to North Platte.”

The hospital currently has four physicians who practice OB/GYN, and Bargen says they’re actively working to expand their maternal care team.

“We’re continuing to educate and recruit more nurses with OB experience,” Bargen said.

Across the country, more rural hospitals are closing their labor and delivery units. The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform reports that more than 80 rural hospitals nationwide have stopped delivering babies over the past four years.

That leaves many families in difficult positions. In South Dakota, nearly one in four women live more than 30 minutes from a birthing hospital. In Nebraska, fewer than half of all rural hospitals now have maternity units, and more than 50% of counties are considered maternity care deserts—compared to 33% nationwide. About 16% of Nebraska women have no birthing hospital within a 30-minute drive.

“Many things in a hospital can be heavy,” Bargen said, “but delivering babies is exciting."