Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care
Pregnancy-Related Death Rates by County, Race, and Ethnicity in the US, 2000-2019
Examines maternal mortality disparities across geography and demographic characteristics. Utilizes 2000-2019 U.S. National Vital Statistics System and U.S. National Center for Health Statistics data to analyze mortality among pregnant women aged 15 to 44. Includes county-level U.S. maps showing mortality rates and discussion of mortality burden in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel A. Zajdel, Erik J. Rodriquez, Paula D. Strassle, et al.
Citation: Archives of Public Health, 83, 274
Date: 11/2025
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Examines maternal mortality disparities across geography and demographic characteristics. Utilizes 2000-2019 U.S. National Vital Statistics System and U.S. National Center for Health Statistics data to analyze mortality among pregnant women aged 15 to 44. Includes county-level U.S. maps showing mortality rates and discussion of mortality burden in rural areas.
Author(s): Rachel A. Zajdel, Erik J. Rodriquez, Paula D. Strassle, et al.
Citation: Archives of Public Health, 83, 274
Date: 11/2025
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Third Party Negotiated Hospital Pricing in Rural and Urban Hospitals within 12 U.S. States
Examines the gross and negotiated pricing for common services in rural and urban hospitals. Bases findings on samples from 12 states and focuses on costs of routine care, imaging, and childbirth.
Author(s): Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey C. Talbert
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Examines the gross and negotiated pricing for common services in rural and urban hospitals. Bases findings on samples from 12 states and focuses on costs of routine care, imaging, and childbirth.
Author(s): Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey C. Talbert
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Fiscal Year 2025 Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Investments: Fact Sheet
Provides an overview of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) grant programs in Fiscal Year 2025. Summarizes and briefly describes funding awarded to address rural behavioral health, expand the rural health workforce, increase access to care, advance maternal health, support rural health research and information dissemination, and support rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Provides an overview of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) grant programs in Fiscal Year 2025. Summarizes and briefly describes funding awarded to address rural behavioral health, expand the rural health workforce, increase access to care, advance maternal health, support rural health research and information dissemination, and support rural hospitals.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality After Delivery Hospitalization Among Rural Residents Bypassing Local Care for Urban Hospitals
Examines severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM) when labor and delivery patients bypass rural, local hospitals to give birth at urban hospitals. Analyzes 235,375 rural versus urban births in South Carolina and associated 1-year postpartum follow-up visit data for rates of SMMM.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Haoyuan Gao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2544522
Date: 11/2025
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Examines severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM) when labor and delivery patients bypass rural, local hospitals to give birth at urban hospitals. Analyzes 235,375 rural versus urban births in South Carolina and associated 1-year postpartum follow-up visit data for rates of SMMM.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Haoyuan Gao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2544522
Date: 11/2025
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Assessing Family Medicine Obstetrics Training Needs to Strengthen Maternal Health in Underserved and Rural US Communities
Examines the impact of the PROMOTE OB track (PRimary care Obstetrics and Maternal Outcomes Training Enhancement) to improve maternity care access from family medicine obstetricians (FMOBs) in rural and underserved areas. Examines focus group feedback from PROMOTE OB participants regarding training gaps, collaborative care, cultural components, and patient needs.
Author(s): Matthew D Kearney, Caroline S O'Brien, Melissa L Donze, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 10/2025
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Examines the impact of the PROMOTE OB track (PRimary care Obstetrics and Maternal Outcomes Training Enhancement) to improve maternity care access from family medicine obstetricians (FMOBs) in rural and underserved areas. Examines focus group feedback from PROMOTE OB participants regarding training gaps, collaborative care, cultural components, and patient needs.
Author(s): Matthew D Kearney, Caroline S O'Brien, Melissa L Donze, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 10/2025
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Maternity Deserts: The Equality State's Growing Crisis
Highlights maternity healthcare deserts in Wyoming and nationally. Discusses the impact of labor and delivery department closures, maternal mortality and morbidity, and more on access to care. Notes opportunities to improve outcomes including increasing access to care, additional workforce training and facility protocols to improve healthcare quality, and promote networking opportunities to share knowledge. Offers policy recommendations based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Women's Action Network
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Highlights maternity healthcare deserts in Wyoming and nationally. Discusses the impact of labor and delivery department closures, maternal mortality and morbidity, and more on access to care. Notes opportunities to improve outcomes including increasing access to care, additional workforce training and facility protocols to improve healthcare quality, and promote networking opportunities to share knowledge. Offers policy recommendations based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Wyoming Women's Action Network
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Positive Outliers: How Some Rural Communities Maintain Access to Labor and Delivery Services
Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
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Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
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2010-2023 County-Level Hospital-Based Obstetric Care Status
County-level dataset containing the county Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, county, state, and indicator of whether each county had hospital-based obstetrics care in years 2010-2023. Available for download as an XLS file.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Emily C. Sheffield, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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County-level dataset containing the county Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code, county, state, and indicator of whether each county had hospital-based obstetrics care in years 2010-2023. Available for download as an XLS file.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Emily C. Sheffield, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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An Enhanced Method for Identifying Hospital-Based Obstetric Unit Status, Version 2 with Addendum
Results of a study using data from American Hospital Association annual surveys from 2010-2018 to conduct single- and multi-year assessments of obstetric unit status and to identify closures of obstetric units. Compares results obtained through the enhanced method with results of a survey sample of rural hospitals with obstetric units open at the time of the assessment and those with recently closed units. Addendum describes methodology updates since a previously published January 2022 report as well as additional findings using 2010-2023 data.
Additional links: An Enhanced Method for Identifying Hospital-Based Obstetric Unit Status (Version 1, 2022)
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study using data from American Hospital Association annual surveys from 2010-2018 to conduct single- and multi-year assessments of obstetric unit status and to identify closures of obstetric units. Compares results obtained through the enhanced method with results of a survey sample of rural hospitals with obstetric units open at the time of the assessment and those with recently closed units. Addendum describes methodology updates since a previously published January 2022 report as well as additional findings using 2010-2023 data.
Additional links: An Enhanced Method for Identifying Hospital-Based Obstetric Unit Status (Version 1, 2022)
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Financial Challenges of Providing Obstetric Services at Rural US Hospitals
Presents a study on the financial challenges faced by rural hospitals operating obstetric units. Bases findings on survey data from hospital administrators detailing financial factors such as payer mix, fixed costs, and workforce, among other measures.
Author(s): C.E. Busse, K. O'Hanlon, K.B. Kozhimannil, J.D. Interrante
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70082
Date: 10/2025
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Presents a study on the financial challenges faced by rural hospitals operating obstetric units. Bases findings on survey data from hospital administrators detailing financial factors such as payer mix, fixed costs, and workforce, among other measures.
Author(s): C.E. Busse, K. O'Hanlon, K.B. Kozhimannil, J.D. Interrante
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70082
Date: 10/2025
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