A maternity care desert is a county without hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric services or dedicated obstetric providers. In 2024, March of Dimes determined that North Dakota has the highest percentage of maternity care deserts in America at 73.6%.
For Carrington mother Ellen Roundy, giving birth to her children, including her fourth and most recent child, in Jamestown Regional Medical Center’s (JRMC) award-winning Family BirthPlace provided comfort and confidence. Carrington, located in Foster County, is a maternity desert, so having access to advanced maternity care close by at JRMC makes a meaningful difference.
“Having that next-level care only about 30 minutes away is incredibly important,” said Ellen. “If JRMC wasn’t here, we’d likely have to drive about two hours to Fargo, Bismarck, Minot or Grand Forks. I cannot imagine making a two-hour drive when you’re in labor or need emergency care.”
While pregnant with her baby Gabe, Ellen developed gestational diabetes and her team discovered that Gabe had intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), meaning he would likely be smaller baby. Even with these diagnoses, she remembers feeling safe with the care her primary, Dr. Stacy Roers Irmen, her Sanford care team and the Family BirthPlace team at JRMC provided.
“The communication between the doctors and nursing staff was excellent,” she said. “Going between the Sanford clinics and JRMC for ultrasounds and appointments, we always knew what the next step would be and felt in control of our family’s decisions.”
During her first pregnancy, Ellen and her husband participated in JRMC’s newborn care and lactation classes through the Family BirthPlace, which gave them a strong foundation they have held onto for each of their children.
Ellen and her husband arrived at JRMC January 21 and were quickly admitted, excited to meet their baby. He was born the next day at 11:13 a.m. after about 14 hours of labor. Gabe arrived “sunny side-up,” meaning his head was facing upward instead of downward, which slowed labor — however, Ellen’s doctor and the Family BirthPlace team worked closely with her to keep both mom and baby safe and healthy.
“Thankfully everything went really well,” Ellen said. “We always felt informed about every decision. They would explain things clearly. Across all four deliveries, our experience has been extremely positive.”
Childbirth is deeply vulnerable and personal, so the team supporting that journey makes a significant difference in their experience. Ellen is grateful for the support and kindness JRMC’s team brings to every pregnancy and delivery.
“Delivering a baby can feel overwhelming, but the staff bring such excitement to the moment,” she said. “They celebrate with you and share in that joy, which makes the experience feel really special.”
Throughout her pregnancy with Gabe, Ellen and her family knew that help was always within reach, should they need it. Despite living in a county with limited access to maternity care, she could always reach her care team right away.
“It was very reassuring to have nearby care. If I had concerns, I would call the Family BirthPlace, reach out to Dr. Roers Irmen or simply drive down and be monitored in triage if needed. We always felt welcomed and never felt like a burden for calling or coming in.”
The Roundy family of six is very happy with their experiences at JRMC, and Ellen shares that experience with other families in her life and community.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have JRMC accessible to our family — in addition to the Family BirthPlace, we have used the ER, ENT, radiology and more over the years,” Ellen said. “It’s comforting knowing we have competent doctors, nurses and medical professionals nearby.”