In Seine-Saint-Denis, the Lilas maternity hospital is expected to close its doors before the end of the year.

The timetable isn't quite set yet, but the decision has been made: the Les Lilas maternity hospital (Seine-Saint-Denis), renowned for its physiological births, will close its doors. The announcement was made on Tuesday, July ¹ , by the Île-de-France regional health agency (ARS) to representatives of this private, non-profit institution, which has association status.

It comes in a particular context: that of the debate, recurring in the public sphere, on the closure of small maternity units – those known as “sector 1”, such as Les Lilas, which do not accommodate high-risk pregnancies and often perform fewer than a thousand deliveries per year .

"Many elements have been pointing towards the closure of the maternity ward for several years." explains the ARS of the Paris region, citing, firstly, the loss of its certification by the High Authority for Health on January 15, "a sign that safety conditions there are no longer optimal" . Another argument put forward: the decline in activity at Les Lilas. At this stage, some 700 births have taken place there since the beginning of the year, according to union sources; the ARS (Regional Health Agency) recorded around 940 in 2023, and 1,400 in 2019. Third argument: a cessation of payments seems possible, as the facility's manager – the Naissance association – is no longer able to ensure its financial sustainability.

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