Tough financial times have forced yet another Brooklyn hospital to announce plans for cutbacks.

Officials at the Long Island College Hospital have announced that they will be closing their maternity ward and discontinuing their OBGYN services, forcing expectant mothers to make new delivery plans.

?I think it?s a disservice to Brooklyn entirely,? Mozell Albright says. Albright delivered her son Samuel at LICH six months ago.

Continuum Health Partners, which runs LICH, says the maternity ward is causing the hospital too much financial distress, due in part to malpractice insurance costs. Continuum says that in 2007, OBGYN service at the hospital accounted for 33 percent, or $11 million, of the hospital?s total losses. According to Continuum, its malpractice insurance costs $8.8 million.

Continuum says it plans to keep as many staff members as possible. Continuum has already started talking with unions and may be able to move some displaced staff to its other hospitals. Nonetheless, some employees are still worried, referring to their job status as ?limbo? because they are unsure of their future.

LICH?s press department released a memo which reads: ?We recognize that these changes are not going to be easy for many. Unfortunately, in the difficult environment in which we operate, the choices are hard and the options few.?

Continuum Health Partners also plans to sell a few buildings to help decrease LICH?s debt.