Obstetrics unit closure leaves pregnant women stranded in Lisbon

Amadora-Sintra Hospital has shut down its obstetrics emergency unit, forcing expectant mothers to seek care elsewhere. Two pregnant women were recently redirected to Lisbon’s Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital after the closure. The move has added pressure to an already busy facility where nurses like Susana and Joana work as both caregivers and mothers themselves. The closure of the obstetrics emergency unit at Amadora-Sintra Hospital left two women with no choice but to travel to Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital in Lisbon. One of them gave birth in room six between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. The newborn remains unnamed as of now.

At the maternity hospital, nurses Susana and Joana face the daily challenge of balancing their roles as healthcare professionals and mothers. Their work involves long hours and high demands, yet they continue to provide care while managing their own family responsibilities. Beyond individual struggles, healthcare workers across the system are pushing for urgent career improvements. Better conditions, they argue, would help them meet professional demands without sacrificing their personal lives.

The shutdown of Amadora-Sintra’s obstetrics unit has shifted more cases to Lisbon’s maternity hospitals. Nurses like Susana and Joana now juggle even heavier workloads alongside their own parenting duties. Meanwhile, calls for systemic changes grow louder as staff seek sustainable ways to maintain both their careers and family lives.