A growing number of rural hospitals are closing their delivery units, leaving pregnant women with limited options for care. This has resulted in the need for travel or giving birth in an emergency room, according to the AP. Maternity units are now available in less than half of rural hospitals, causing concern for government officials and families. One potential solution gaining popularity is the establishment of freestanding midwife-led birth centers. However, these centers often rely on nearby hospitals for complications. The closures of maternity units have created “maternity care deserts,” which are counties without hospitals or birth centers that offer obstetric care. The majority of these deserts are located in rural areas, affecting more than 2 million women of childbearing age. Doctors and researchers argue that having fewer hospital maternity units poses risks to the safety of childbirth.
A study reveals that rural residents face a 9% higher probability of life-threatening complications or even death during pregnancy and birth compared to those in urban areas due to limited access to care. Dr. Eric Scott Palmer, a neonatologist who previously practiced in rural Tennessee, warns that complications can arise anywhere and people will inevitably be harmed if there are insufficient healthcare resources. According to the American Hospital Association, at least 89 obstetric units in rural hospitals have closed between 2015 and 2019, with more closures since then. The main causes for these closures include decreasing birth rates, staffing challenges, low reimbursement from Medicaid, and financial difficulties, as stated by Peiyin Hung from the University of South Carolina’s Rural and Minority Health Research Center. For instance, Saint Alphonsus hospital in Baker City, Oregon closed its maternity ward due to a shortage of OB nurses and declining deliveries. Hospital officials emphasized that patient safety is their top priority. Read the full story to learn about the efforts being made to establish freestanding birth centers in certain states and communities. Connecticut, for example, has already passed legislation to license such centers as an alternative for low-risk pregnancies.
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