(GRINNELL, IA – January 8, 2026) UnityPoint Health® – Grinnell Regional Medical Center (GRMC) celebrated the arrival of the first baby of 2026 at 7:26 a.m. on Monday, January 5, 2026. Samantha and William Glaser of State Center welcomed a son, Christian Michael. He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. Dr. Elizabeth Tigges from the UnityPoint Health – Grinnell OB/GYN Clinic was the delivering provider.
“We chose to deliver at GRMC because of the Grinnell providers. They have been amazing during the entire pregnancy,” says Samantha. “Now, we are most looking forward to Christian and his big brother, Russell, becoming best friends.”
In 2025, 326 babies were born at GRMC, an increase from 246 in 2024. UnityPoint Health – Grinnell is a multi-year recipient of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services maternal Center of Excellence grant, focused on establishing Iowa’s framework to sustainable access to high-quality, maternal health and obstetric services for rural communities and populations.
“So far in 2025, we’ve had babies from State Center, Toledo, Grinnell, Williamsburg, Montezuma and Newton,” says Cherish Hansen, BSN, RNC-MNN, C-EFM, OB Nurse Manager. “It’s pretty amazing to see so many patients from our surrounding communities make the choice to deliver in Grinnell.”
UnityPoint Health – Grinnell provides expert maternity care, close-to-home for women and families in a six-county region where maternal health care and OB delivery can be difficult to access. GRMC is the only hospital in Poweshiek, Jasper, Tama, Iowa and Marshall counties that offers labor and delivery care.
For more information on GRMC’s maternity services, including providers accepting new maternity patients, prenatal and postpartum resources, lactation support and perinatal and breastfeeding education, please visit uph.link/GrinnellMaternity.
###
Photo Cutline: Christian Glaser, GRMC’s first baby of 2026, held by mother, Samantha, joined by father, William, and brother, Russell.
Photo Cutline: Christian Glaser newborn photo.
