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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care

Alaska Native Health Status Report
Provides an overview of Alaskan Native health, with a focus on sociodemographics and social determinants of health (SDOH); mortality; morbidity; maternal, infant, and child health; adolescent health; adult health; preventive care; and environmental health. Includes data and maps on health issues in Alaskan regions. Discusses advocacy, program planning, policy development, and evaluation related to Alaskan Native public health.
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
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Provider and Patient Perspectives on Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural New Hampshire
Explores how the closure of labor and delivery units in New Hampshire has impacted the providers and patients in the affected communities. Describes the top reasons for labor and delivery unit closures among five hospitals, staffing challenges, and the effect of closures on prenatal and postpartum care for women in the community. Presents recommendations to ensure access to safe and secure pregnancies and deliveries after closures.
Author(s): Sarah Benatar, Stacey McMorrow, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 12/2021
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Where There's a Will, There's a Way? Strategies to Reduce or Abstain from Alcohol Use Developed by Northern Plains American Indian Women Participating in a Brief Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy Preconceptual Intervention
Analyzes strategies to reduce or abstain from alcohol use by American Indian and Alaska Native women for the purpose of reducing alcohol-exposed pregnancy rates. Identifies themes related to goal achievement, overcoming barriers, and cultural strengths.
Author(s): Arielle R. Deutsch, Rebecca Lustfield, Jessica D. Hanson
Citation: Alcohol Clinical & Experimental Research, 45(11), 2383-2395
Date: 11/2021
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Oklahoma Teen Birth Report, 1996-2020
An overview of teen birth rate trends in Oklahoma between 1996 and 2020. Includes data by age of mother, race and ethnicity, previous live birth, and weight and gestational age of the baby. Offers a county comparison of birth rates for teens in Oklahoma between 2018 and 2020.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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Accessing Oral Health Care in Rural Areas
A tip sheet that discusses how pregnant people and children struggle to access oral healthcare in rural areas. Provides strategies for Head Start staff to extend oral healthcare access to rural families.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start
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QuickStats: Percentage of Births to Mothers Who Reported Smoking Cigarettes at Any Time During Pregnancy, by Urbanization Level of County of Residence — United States, 2020
Bar chart showing the percentage of women who reported smoking cigarettes at any time during pregnancy for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore (rural) areas.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(47), 1652
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Improving Health in Rural Communities: FY 2021 Year in Review
Provides an overview of Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) programs and activities that have affected rural health and healthcare in fiscal year 2021. Focuses on 10 priority areas: COVID-19, Federally-facilitated and State Marketplaces; Medicare payment and policy; practitioner workforce; Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment, payment, and policy; long-term services and supports; maternal health; mental health and substance use disorders; models and demonstrations, and quality and equity.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Policies for Reducing Maternal Morbidity and Mortality and Enhancing Equity in Maternal Health: A Review of the Evidence
Examines maternal health in relation to social determinants of health (SDOH), addressing disparities for Black, rural, veteran, and incarcerated mothers. Highlights environmental and healthcare issues, as well as strategies to improve maternal health outcomes through workforce initiatives, data collection, and policy changes.
Author(s): Jodie G. Katon, Daniel A. Enquobahrie, Kate Jacobsen, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Health Disparities in Rural Women
Discusses the health disparities that exist for rural women in all categories of women's health, including obstetric and gynecologic outcomes and access to care. Covers programs to improve healthcare services for rural women and recommendations to reduce health disparities.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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County Data Highlight Links between Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome and Placement of Infants in Foster Care
Explores the relationship between neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and the rate of children entering the foster care system. Summarizes county-level data from eight states and highlights community level factors such as maternal education, healthcare, and rurality, among others.
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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