San Juan Regional Opens New Childbirth Center, Expands Maternity Care
San Juan Regional Medical Center has opened a newly renovated Childbirth Center that expands maternity and newborn care for San Juan County and neighboring communities. The $4 million facility adds a level two special care nursery, midwife assisted options, telehealth services, and supports both natural births and Cesarean section deliveries, strengthening regional access to maternal services.
San Juan Regional Medical Center has completed a $4 million renovation of its Childbirth Center, increasing local capacity for mothers and newborns and aiming to keep families together immediately after delivery. The center began planning in 2019, experienced delays during the COVID 19 pandemic, and opened officially in October 2025. As of November 26, 2025 the facility is serving patients across San Juan County and surrounding rural areas.
The renovated Childbirth Center offers personalized birth plans that include midwife assisted deliveries, a range of pain intervention options, and support for both natural births and Cesarean section deliveries. The unit features a level two special care nursery for mothers and babies that need extra support, telehealth services to connect patients with specialists remotely, and a baby friendly designation intended to promote early feeding and maternal infant bonding. Hospital officials described the goal as keeping mothers and babies together after delivery for stabilization of vital signs and to support feeding.
Funding for the total project came from state grants, and construction resumed in 2024 after pandemic related delays. Phase two of the Childbirth Center is scheduled for completion by mid December and will add lactation offices and community classes aimed at parents across the region. Those services are intended to support breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, and broader maternal health education.
The center is positioned to fill gaps left by closures of birthing services elsewhere, providing dedicated health professionals to assist mothers and babies from rural communities and the Navajo Nation. For families in San Juan County, the renovation means shorter travel for labor care, greater continuity with local providers, and immediate access to specialized neonatal support when needed.
As the new center ramps up services, telehealth capabilities and pending community programs are expected to broaden access to prenatal and postnatal care across the region. The renovation represents an investment in sustaining regional maternity services and in keeping newborn care close to home for families across San Juan County.
