More Than One Third of U.S. Counties Are Maternity Care Deserts

Maternity care access remains limited across much of the U.S., with 34.6% of counties classified as maternity care deserts and more than half lacking a hospital with labor and delivery services.

The March of Dimes found little change since 2016, while 57.9% of rural counties lack a practicing obstetric clinician. Financial pressures, low rural birth volumes, inadequate Medicaid reimbursement, hospital staffing shortages, and potential Medicaid cuts could further reduce access, particularly in rural communities.

By 2035, all but six states are projected to have an inadequate supply of obstetric clinicians. Longer travel distances can contribute to missed prenatal and postpartum care and delayed treatment of pregnancy complications. Read more from Time here.