The Springfield Hospital will no longer be delivering new babies as of January 1st. Mayo Clinic Health System says that the decision comes after the loss of half of the hospital’s OB group recently. Springfield has been operating a partial shared-care obstetrics model with the New Ulm and Mankato Hospitals since this past August after losing the 3 OB doctors. Now beginning in the new year babies will only be delivered in Springfield on an emergency basis. Expecting mothers will be able to choose where they have their babies delivered, and both pre- and post-natal care will continue to be offered in Springfield. A total of 34 babies were delivered in Springfield last year, compared to 300 in New Ulm.