Casper, Wyoming faces critical OB‑GYN shortage as staff dwindles to two

Long‑time obstetrician Dr. Susan Sheridan says the number of OB‑GYNs serving Casper, Wyoming’s second‑largest city has fallen from an average of six to just two. The remaining doctors must be on call every other day, juggling emergency deliveries with routine exams, which pushes non‑urgent services such as annual check‑ups and mental‑health visits to the back‑burner.

The shortage follows a statewide decline in maternity care: since 2022, four Wyoming hospitals closed their labor and delivery wards, leaving only 16 birthing facilities across a 97,000‑square‑mile state. Women in the Casper area now face gaps in prenatal, delivery and postpartum care despite occasional relief from new obstetric hires in other communities. Sheridan, who has practiced in Casper for 19 years, warns that the current model is unsustainable for both patients and providers.