The declining availability of maternity healthcare puts moms and babies at risk, but there are solutions

A lack of maternity care can cause issues for mothers and babies.
(Photo by Christian Bowen, Unsplash)

A lack of access to maternity care can cause deaths, preterm births and health risks for mothers.

According to Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman in an article for Medpage Today, 2.3 million reproductive-age individuals and more than 150,000 babies are being affected annually by a lack of labor and delivery units in hospitals.

A March of Dimes report found that, “35% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, defined as areas with zero ob/gyns, midwives, or family medicine obstetric providers per 10,000 births,” and that about “70% of birth centers are located in just 10 states,” according to Gyamfi-Bannerman.

The article reported that there were about 50,000 ob/gyns in 2018, “with more than 94% practicing in metropolitan areas.” That number is expected to continue dropping due to “high rates of burnout, high liability burdens, and a possible decrease in interest.”

With the vast majority of ob/gyns in highly populated areas, it leaves an even bigger shortage of maternity care providers in rural areas.

Cross-training healthcare providers may be an answer.
(Photo by Bagoes Ilhamy, Unsplash)

Hospitals are also closing many of their birthing and maternity units. Gymafi-Bannerman wrote that beyond declining birth rates, there aren’t high incentives for hospitals to provide maternity services. “Maternity care has often been considered a money-losing necessity, but even moneymaking, for-profit hospitals are discontinuing obstetric services.”

There are solutions to help with this issue, but it’s a matter of implementing them.

Emily Hedegard and Kate Cough at The Maine Monitor wrote that cross-training, offering stipends, training future healthcare providers in rural areas, and paying maternity healthcare providers more may be a start. As maternity care has been considered money-losing for hospitals, some of these solutions may not be as feasible.

However, “One of the most approachable solutions to the rural health care crisis, said several experts, and one that can be implemented immediately, is making better use of providers who are already part of the community,” according to Hedegard and Cough.