Rural Maternal Health – Resources

A Critical Review on the Complex Interplay between Social Determinants of Health and Maternal and Infant Mortality
Reports on a critical review of maternal and infant mortality literature to observe how social determinants of health relate to health disparities for mothers and babies of racial/ethnic minorities, less privileged socioeconomic statuses, and rural geographies. Includes discussion about rural versus urban differences in maternal and infant mortality.
Author(s): Rada K. Dagher, Deborah E. Linares
Citation: Children, 9(3), 394
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
view details

Rural Hospital Administrators' Beliefs About Safety, Financial Viability, and Community Need for Offering Obstetric Care
Examines beliefs about the financial viability and need for rural obstetric care based on surveys completed by 93 rural hospital administrators. Discusses the volume necessary to provide safe obstetric care, priorities related to local community need, and issues related to workforce and policy.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Lindsay K. Admon, Bridget L. Basile Ibrahim
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(3), e220204
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
view details

Cardiometabolic Health after First Pregnancy: Associations with Social Determinants of Health. A nuMoM2b-HHS Study
Examines connections between social determinants of health and metabolic syndrome after first pregnancy, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Reports on metabolic syndrome in 4,484 participants broken down by income, education, acculturation, social support, insurance, and health literacy. Includes rural versus urban data in Table 2.
Author(s): N.A. Bello, J. Moore, E. C. Miller, et al.
Citation: American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice, 13
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
view details

Prenatal Telemedicine During COVID-19: Patterns of Use and Barriers to Access
Study examining patient experiences with prenatal telemedicine based on a survey of 164 pregnant patients at a rural New England medical center. Covers barriers to accessing care, internet access, remote surveillance tools, and engagement with providers.
Author(s): Allie Morgan, Daisy Goodman, Julia Vinagolu-Baur, Ilana Cass
Citation: JAMIA Open, 5(1)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
view details

Trends in the Incidence of New‐Onset Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Rural and Urban Areas in the United States, 2007 to 2019
Examines 51,685,525 live births in rural and urban women between 2007 and 2019 to study incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Provides Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Natality Database statistics and data broken down by rural/urban category, age, race/ethnicity, and census region, among others. Discusses impacts of trend changes in hypertensive disorders in both rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Natalie A. Cameron, Ian Everitt, Laura E. Seegmiller, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 11(2)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
view details

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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details

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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
view details

Mapping the Location of Health Centers in Relation to "Maternity Care Deserts": Associations With Utilization of Women's Health Providers and Services
Explores the association between community health centers' (CHC) distance to a maternity care desert (MCD) and use of maternity-related healthcare services. Discusses the effects of rural hospital closures and provider shortages on patients' access to maternity care. Includes a county-level MCD map and county-level and CHC-level statistics related to MCDs.
Author(s): Anne R. Markus, Drishti Pillai
Citation: Medical Care, 59(10), S434-S440
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
view details

Birth Volume and Geographic Distribution of US Hospitals with Obstetric Services from 2010 to 2018
Examines the characteristics of hospitals with obstetric services by volume of births between 2010-2018. Describes the geographic distribution, proximity to other obstetric hospitals, and metropolitan status. Presents data on birth volume by hospital characteristics, including Critical Access Hospital and Rural Referral Center designation.
Author(s): Sara C. Handley, Molly Passarella, Heidi M. Herrick
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(10)
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
view details

Doulas Provide Support for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities
Features a New Mexico doula program that reaches American Indian, Hispanic, and other populations who lack nearby labor/delivery units, a Minnesota program helping moms experiencing incarceration, and a North Dakota program training postpartum doulas to care for families impacted by opioid use disorder and other substance use.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details