Rural Maternal Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Maternal Health.
Spatial Access to Hospital-Based Obstetric Units in Minoritized Racial/Ethnic Areas
Documents geographic accessibility and travel burdens for obstetric care based on local minoritized racial/ethnic group (MRG) distributions at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level. Features statistics with breakdowns by race or ethnicity and urban or rural ZCTA, and maps showing geographic distribution of ZCTAs meeting the 95th percentile threshold, locations of hospital-based obstetric units across top MRG ZCTAs in 2019, and driving distances to a hospital obstetric unit by MRG classification.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Gabriel Benavidez, Melinda A. Merrell, et al.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Documents geographic accessibility and travel burdens for obstetric care based on local minoritized racial/ethnic group (MRG) distributions at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) level. Features statistics with breakdowns by race or ethnicity and urban or rural ZCTA, and maps showing geographic distribution of ZCTAs meeting the 95th percentile threshold, locations of hospital-based obstetric units across top MRG ZCTAs in 2019, and driving distances to a hospital obstetric unit by MRG classification.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Gabriel Benavidez, Melinda A. Merrell, et al.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Hospitals and Maternal Health in Rural America, with John Supplitt, Aisha Syeda, Virginia Uhlenkamp, and Ashleigh Wiederin
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast discussing the role of rural hospitals in maternal health. Features John Supplitt and Aisha Syeda from the American Hospital Association, and Virginia Uhlenkamp and Ashleigh Wiederin from St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast discussing the role of rural hospitals in maternal health. Features John Supplitt and Aisha Syeda from the American Hospital Association, and Virginia Uhlenkamp and Ashleigh Wiederin from St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa.
Date: 08/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Inequities in Availability of Evidence-Based Birth Supports to Improve Perinatal Health for Socially Vulnerable Rural Residents
Examines the social risk factors rural residents face related to maternal and infant mortality. Utilizes data from 285 rural hospitals across the United States that have inpatient birthing centers to measure the availability of maternal and postpartum supports such as breastfeeding support groups, nurse home visiting, childbirth education classes, and more. Evaluates each hospital's social vulnerability index (SVI) on the county-level to determine the level of birth support inequities in rural areas and for residents who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
Author(s): Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Julia D. Interrante, Alyssa H. Fritz, Mariana S. Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Children, 9(7), 1077
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Examines the social risk factors rural residents face related to maternal and infant mortality. Utilizes data from 285 rural hospitals across the United States that have inpatient birthing centers to measure the availability of maternal and postpartum supports such as breastfeeding support groups, nurse home visiting, childbirth education classes, and more. Evaluates each hospital's social vulnerability index (SVI) on the county-level to determine the level of birth support inequities in rural areas and for residents who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
Author(s): Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Julia D. Interrante, Alyssa H. Fritz, Mariana S. Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Children, 9(7), 1077
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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County-Level Availability of Obstetric Care and Economic Implications of Hospital Closures on Obstetric Care
Policy brief providing data on the economic changes in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012-2019. Describes demographic and economic differences between counties with or without obstetric care facilities. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and a county-level map with shadings showing availability of obstetric services and hospital closures from 2012-2019.
Author(s): Andrew L. Owen, Alison Davis, Simona Balazs
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Policy brief providing data on the economic changes in counties that lost obstetric care facilities between 2012-2019. Describes demographic and economic differences between counties with or without obstetric care facilities. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location and a county-level map with shadings showing availability of obstetric services and hospital closures from 2012-2019.
Author(s): Andrew L. Owen, Alison Davis, Simona Balazs
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Racial Inequities in the Availability of Evidence-Based Supports for Maternal and Infant Health in 93 Rural US Counties with Hospital-Based Obstetric Care
Policy brief describing differences between availability of supports for maternal and infant health in rural counties that are majority-Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and those in majority-White rural counties. Features statistics on community characteristics of rural counties with hospital-based obstetric care.
Author(s): Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Mariana Tuttle, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief describing differences between availability of supports for maternal and infant health in rural counties that are majority-Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and those in majority-White rural counties. Features statistics on community characteristics of rural counties with hospital-based obstetric care.
Author(s): Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Mariana Tuttle, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis
Provides an overview of the maternal health crisis, including maternal mortality and morbidity disparities, and outlines investments and initiatives to address these issues. Presents goals and actions related to access to maternal and behavioral health services, improving data collection and policy, expanding and diversifying the maternal health workforce, and strengthening economic and social supports.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The White House
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Provides an overview of the maternal health crisis, including maternal mortality and morbidity disparities, and outlines investments and initiatives to address these issues. Presents goals and actions related to access to maternal and behavioral health services, improving data collection and policy, expanding and diversifying the maternal health workforce, and strengthening economic and social supports.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The White House
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Rural-Urban Differences in Maternal Mortality Trends in the US, 1999–2017: Accounting for the Impact of the Pregnancy Status Checkbox
Examines maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) from 1999 to 2017 by maternal residence of large urban area, medium/small urban area, or rural area. Discusses the impact on recorded MMRs of including a pregnancy status checkbox on death certificates. Includes data breakdowns by maternal residence, race/ethnicity, and age.
Author(s): Lauren M. Rossen, Katherine A. Ahrens, Lindsay S. Womack, Sayeedha F.G. Uddin, Amy M. Branum
Citation: American Journal of Epidemiology, 191(6), 1030-1039
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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Examines maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) from 1999 to 2017 by maternal residence of large urban area, medium/small urban area, or rural area. Discusses the impact on recorded MMRs of including a pregnancy status checkbox on death certificates. Includes data breakdowns by maternal residence, race/ethnicity, and age.
Author(s): Lauren M. Rossen, Katherine A. Ahrens, Lindsay S. Womack, Sayeedha F.G. Uddin, Amy M. Branum
Citation: American Journal of Epidemiology, 191(6), 1030-1039
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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Advancing Rural Maternal Health Equity
Summarizes the activities implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health between June 2019 and November 2021 as part of its Rural Maternal Health Initiative. Outlines next steps to address rural maternal health disparities. Includes potential solutions for rural providers and stakeholders from the Rural Obstetric Readiness Workgroup.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Summarizes the activities implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of Minority Health between June 2019 and November 2021 as part of its Rural Maternal Health Initiative. Outlines next steps to address rural maternal health disparities. Includes potential solutions for rural providers and stakeholders from the Rural Obstetric Readiness Workgroup.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Precious Moments: Tribal Home Visiting Programs Support Families During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Provides an overview of how 7 Tribal Home Visiting grantees provide support to American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) families during pregnancy and postpartum. Focuses on providing culturally competent care related to AI/AN traditions, addressing historical and personal trauma in caregiving, improving maternal health outcomes, and providing education on breastfeeding, postpartum depression, healthy diet, and more.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Tribal Home Visiting
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Provides an overview of how 7 Tribal Home Visiting grantees provide support to American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) families during pregnancy and postpartum. Focuses on providing culturally competent care related to AI/AN traditions, addressing historical and personal trauma in caregiving, improving maternal health outcomes, and providing education on breastfeeding, postpartum depression, healthy diet, and more.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Tribal Home Visiting
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Obstetrics: U.S. Rural Hospitals
Infographic presenting statistics on obstetrics care in rural community hospitals in the U.S. Includes data on the number of births in rural hospitals, rural hospitals without obstetrics units, obstetric unit closures, and the number of women of reproductive age who live in maternity care deserts.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Infographic presenting statistics on obstetrics care in rural community hospitals in the U.S. Includes data on the number of births in rural hospitals, rural hospitals without obstetrics units, obstetric unit closures, and the number of women of reproductive age who live in maternity care deserts.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Last Updated: 8/9/2024