Pregnancy and postpartum care in Wilmington.
A plain guide for moms in Wilmington and northern Delaware: where to deliver, what Delaware Medicaid covers, free local help, and the warning signs that matter for a full year after birth.
Key takeaway
Two hospitals near Wilmington deliver babies. If you have Delaware Medicaid, you stay covered for 12 months after birth, and doula care is covered. Know the warning signs, and keep support close for the whole first year.
Having a baby in Wilmington means choosing a hospital, sorting out coverage and knowing where to turn after you go home. This guide covers where to deliver, what Delaware Medicaid covers, free local help, and the warning signs to know for the whole first year.
Where babies are born near Wilmington
As of October 2026, these hospitals deliver babies in northern Delaware.
Hospital | NICU |
Christiana Hospital | Level III |
Saint Francis Hospital | Level II, staffed by Nemours |
Two nearby birth centers closed recently. ChristianaCare Union Hospital in Elkton, Maryland, closed its Family Birth Center on June 30, 2026, and sends patients to Christiana Hospital. Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania, closed in May 2025.
Questions to ask on a hospital tour
What level is your NICU, and can my baby stay here if they need intensive care?
Who can stay overnight with me after the birth?
Will a lactation consultant see me before I go home?
How will you check my blood pressure after I leave?
Who do I call at night if something feels wrong after discharge?
What Medicaid covers after birth
If you have Delaware Medicaid, your coverage lasts 12 months after your pregnancy ends. You don’t need to renew during pregnancy or postpartum. Delaware reviews your eligibility at the end of that year.
What | After birth |
How long Medicaid lasts | 12 months |
Doctor and nurse visits | Covered |
Mental health and substance use care | Covered, through your health plan |
Doula care | Covered, up to 3 prenatal and 3 postpartum visits plus labor and birth |
Delaware Medicaid health plans
Health plan | Member services |
Highmark Health Options | 1-844-325-6251 |
AmeriHealth Caritas Delaware | 1-844-211-0966 |
Delaware First Health | 1-877-236-1341 |
Doula care needs a recommendation from a doctor or other licensed provider. Delaware First Health covers extra doula visits. Ask your plan how to find a doula in network.
Free and low-cost help in Wilmington
Program | What you get |
Delaware WIC | Healthy food, breastfeeding help and nutrition support for moms and kids under 5. Clinics in Wilmington, Claymont and Newark. U.S. citizenship is not required. |
Nurse-Family Partnership | A nurse visits first-time moms with low income at home, from pregnancy until baby turns 2. Enroll before 28 weeks. |
Healthy Women, Healthy Babies | Free care before, during and after pregnancy, including mental health. Wilmington sites include Westside Family Healthcare and Saint Francis. |
Help Me Grow | Connects families to home visiting programs like Healthy Families, Parents as Teachers and Early Head Start. |
Statewide WIC line: 1-800-222-2189.
Why the year after birth matters
Delaware reviews every death during or after pregnancy. Its 2025 report found that overdose was the leading cause of maternal death for the sixth year in a row. Many serious problems, like high blood pressure, infection and depression, can show up weeks or months after the six-week checkup. Catching warning signs early is what changes outcomes.
Warning signs to know
These signs matter for up to a year after birth, not just the first few weeks.
If you have | Do this |
Chest pain | Call 911 |
Trouble breathing | Call 911 |
A seizure | Call 911 |
Thoughts of hurting yourself or someone else | Call 911 |
Bleeding that soaks a pad an hour, or egg-sized clots | Call your doctor or midwife |
An incision that isn’t healing | Call your doctor or midwife |
A red, swollen, painful or warm leg | Call your doctor or midwife |
A temperature of 100.4°F or higher | Call your doctor or midwife |
A headache that won’t go away, or one with vision changes | Call your doctor or midwife |
If you can’t reach your provider, call 911 or go to the emergency room. Tell them you recently had a baby.
If you are struggling emotionally
Feeling overwhelmed, anxious or low after a baby is common, and it is treatable. You don’t have to wait until it feels like a crisis.
Who to contact | How to reach them |
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline | 24/7, in English and Spanish. |
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | 24/7. |
Northern Delaware Mobile Crisis | 24/7, all of New Castle County. |
Delaware HopeLine | Support when you are not in crisis. |
Where Phia fits
A licensed perinatal medical group you text. Phia doesn’t replace your OB. It covers the stretches between visits.
01
Every message is checked
A nurse steps in when something looks wrong, day or night.
02
Phia remembers you
A headache this week is read alongside last week’s blood pressure.
03
Help that follows through
Phia connects you with programs like these, then checks that you got care.
Between visits, Phia is there.
16 min
Median time for a clinician to pick up a flagged concern
Any language
Text Phia from the phone you already have. No app to download.
Common questions.
Which hospitals near Wilmington deliver babies?
As of October 2026: Christiana Hospital in Newark and Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington. ChristianaCare Union Hospital in Elkton, Maryland, closed its birth center in June 2026.
How long does Medicaid cover me after I give birth in Delaware?
12 months after your pregnancy ends. Delaware extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months, and you don’t need to renew during that time.
Does Delaware Medicaid cover doulas?
Yes. Since January 2024, Delaware Medicaid covers up to 3 prenatal and 3 postpartum doula visits plus support during labor and birth, with a provider’s recommendation.
Is Phia available in Wilmington?
Yes. Phia works by text, in any language, from pregnancy through postpartum. It costs $19 a month, and some employers and health plans offer it at no cost. Phia is not an emergency service. If you need help now, call 911.
Sources: ChristianaCare newsroom, Christiana Hospital and Union Hospital Family Birth Center closure, May 2026. Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, Saint Francis maternity. Philadelphia Inquirer, Crozer closure, 2025. Delaware DHSS, 12-month postpartum coverage, 2023 and 2025. Delaware DMMA, Diamond State Health Plan. Highmark Health Options and Delaware First Health contact pages. CMS State Plan Amendment DE-24-0001 (doula services). Delaware DSAMH crisis services. Delaware WIC locations, 2026. Delaware Thrives. Delaware Maternal and Child Death Review Commission 2025 report. AWHONN POST-BIRTH warning signs. HRSA National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. 988 Lifeline.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Programs, phone numbers and hospital services change, so confirm details directly. Phia is not an emergency service. If you need help now, call 911.
