Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care
Access to OB-GYNs: Evaluating Workforce Supply and ACA Marketplace Networks
Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Obstetric Care Access Declined in Rural and Urban Hospitals Across US States, 2010–22
Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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Examines the number and proportion of hospitals located in rural and urban counties in each state that lost hospital-based obstetric services between 2010 and 2022. Describes the proportion of hospitals without obstetric services for any reason by 2022.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 44(7), 806-811
Date: 07/2025
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Maternal Mortality in the United States, 2025
Explores the causes of maternal mortality and its impact on overall health. Presents data on overall trends in U.S. maternal mortality; timing, causes, and place of maternal deaths; and how pregnancy-related deaths are related to infant mortality. Discusses rural disparities, behavioral health challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pregnant women, and efforts to address the maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Eugene Declercq, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Explores the causes of maternal mortality and its impact on overall health. Presents data on overall trends in U.S. maternal mortality; timing, causes, and place of maternal deaths; and how pregnancy-related deaths are related to infant mortality. Discusses rural disparities, behavioral health challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on pregnant women, and efforts to address the maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Eugene Declercq, Laurie Zephyrin
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Rural–Urban Disparities in Perinatal Smoking in the United States: Trends and Determinants
Analyzes rural versus urban disparities in perinatal smoking. Utilizes 2009-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to examine differences in smoking status according to rurality, region, demographics, social indicators, and more.
Author(s): Patricia Da Rosa, Matthias Richter
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 895
Date: 06/2025
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Analyzes rural versus urban disparities in perinatal smoking. Utilizes 2009-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to examine differences in smoking status according to rurality, region, demographics, social indicators, and more.
Author(s): Patricia Da Rosa, Matthias Richter
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(6), 895
Date: 06/2025
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Linkage of Parent-Infant Health Care Claims Reveals Prenatal Care Gaps and Facilitates Congenital Heart Outcomes Study
Examines disparities in prenatal ultrasound and fetal echocardiogram utilization by demographic group, utilizing care data of infants who underwent congenital heart surgery between 2006 and 2019 in New York. Includes data on rural-urban disparities in receipt of prenatal care.
Author(s): Joyce L. Woo, Kacie L. Dragan, Sarah Crook, et al.
Citation: JACC: Advances, 4(7), 101871
Date: 06/2025
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Examines disparities in prenatal ultrasound and fetal echocardiogram utilization by demographic group, utilizing care data of infants who underwent congenital heart surgery between 2006 and 2019 in New York. Includes data on rural-urban disparities in receipt of prenatal care.
Author(s): Joyce L. Woo, Kacie L. Dragan, Sarah Crook, et al.
Citation: JACC: Advances, 4(7), 101871
Date: 06/2025
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Evaluation of the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model: Fourth Annual Report (Implementation Year 3)
Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Westat
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Provides an overview of the Maternal Opioid Misuse Model, which provides evidence-based integrated care and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum Medicaid beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Describes activities MOM Model awardees undertook during the MOM Model's second implementation year, July 1, 2023–June 30, 2024, and summarizes qualitative and beneficiary-level process data findings by state awardee. Discusses barriers pregnant and postpartum women with OUD face in accessing high-quality, continuous care, specifically in rural areas.
Additional links: Findings at a Glance
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Westat
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Trends in Mean Age of Mothers: United States, 2016–2023
Examines trends in maternal age at the time of first birth, second birth, and third birth and higher, as well as by mother's demographics and urbanicity. Utilizes 2016–2023 National Vital Statistics System data to provide the mean maternal age with urbanicity breakdowns according to noncore (nonmetropolitan), micropolitan (nonmetropolitan), small metropolitan, medium metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, and large central metropolitan.
Author(s): Andrea D. Brown, Brady E. Hamilton, Dmitry M. Kissin, Joyce A. Martin
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines trends in maternal age at the time of first birth, second birth, and third birth and higher, as well as by mother's demographics and urbanicity. Utilizes 2016–2023 National Vital Statistics System data to provide the mean maternal age with urbanicity breakdowns according to noncore (nonmetropolitan), micropolitan (nonmetropolitan), small metropolitan, medium metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, and large central metropolitan.
Author(s): Andrea D. Brown, Brady E. Hamilton, Dmitry M. Kissin, Joyce A. Martin
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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The Impacts of Transportation and Travel Access on Rural Health in Hawai'i
Reports on transportation and travel access as barriers to healthcare in rural Hawaii, utilizing a literature review and interviews with stakeholders, and provides policy suggestions for improving access to care. Includes a detailed review of the use of telehealth for rural maternal-fetal health.
Additional links: Overview
Author(s): John Desfor, Keilyn Kawakami, Monica Ho, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research & Policy Center
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Reports on transportation and travel access as barriers to healthcare in rural Hawaii, utilizing a literature review and interviews with stakeholders, and provides policy suggestions for improving access to care. Includes a detailed review of the use of telehealth for rural maternal-fetal health.
Additional links: Overview
Author(s): John Desfor, Keilyn Kawakami, Monica Ho, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Hawaiʻi Rural Health Research & Policy Center
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2025 National Shortage Designation Update Informational Session (NSDU): Introducing New Data to Existing HPSAs
Webinar highlighting updates to the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSAs) and Maternity Care Target Area (MCTAs) source data, eligibility criteria, and other aspects of the the shortage designation process. Includes discussion of Rural Health Clinics, tribally-run clinics, and other aspects of rural healthcare. See video description for transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Matt Patterson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Webinar highlighting updates to the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSAs) and Maternity Care Target Area (MCTAs) source data, eligibility criteria, and other aspects of the the shortage designation process. Includes discussion of Rural Health Clinics, tribally-run clinics, and other aspects of rural healthcare. See video description for transcript.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Matt Patterson
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Access to Maternity Care in Pennsylvania: Labor and Delivery Services
Fact sheet providing an overview of access to maternity care in rural Pennsylvania. Features county-level maps showing locations of hospitals with a labor and delivery unit as of 2025, and locations of general acute care hospitals, with shadings showing counties with no labor and delivery unit and those with at least one unit. Includes statistics on numbers of OB/GYNs and certified nurse midwives per 10,000 females of childbearing age, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Fact sheet providing an overview of access to maternity care in rural Pennsylvania. Features county-level maps showing locations of hospitals with a labor and delivery unit as of 2025, and locations of general acute care hospitals, with shadings showing counties with no labor and delivery unit and those with at least one unit. Includes statistics on numbers of OB/GYNs and certified nurse midwives per 10,000 females of childbearing age, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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