West Coast women requiring routine elective caesareans will now have to travel more than 700km to Dunedin Hospital.
The West Coast District Health Board (WCDHB) revealed the new arrangements today.
The move follows criticism in light of the experience of Westport woman Haylie Fry.
Ms Fry had to give birth in Nelson after the WCDHB organised her transfer to Christchurch Hospital, which said it was too busy.
Ms Fry said on Friday that Nelson Hospital had also said it was too busy and would be providing no more elective caesareans for West Coast women.
WCDHB secondary services general manager Chris Le Prou said today women requiring routine elective caesareans would now have to go to Dunedin Hospital.
Christchurch would continue to take more complicated caesarean cases. Any emergency cases presenting at Grey Hospital would be transferred to Christchurch.
Mr Le Prou said Christchurch had previously been able to provide elective caesareans to West Coast women but was now too busy as was Nelson/Marlborough DHB.
Six Coast women were due to have planned caesareans between now and the end of October, he said.
WCDHB has no specialist obstetric and gynaecology services for most of this month, forcing high-risk mothers to transfer a fortnight before their due date.
The DHB provides accommodation and subsidises travel for women forced to travel.
