Research Alert: August 17, 2021

State and Regional Differences in Access to Hospital-Based Obstetric Services for Rural Residents, 2018

Being pregnant in rural America presents unique challenges, as access to obstetric care continues to decline. Access to health care, as well as the social, economic, and environmental support for healthy pregnancy and childbirth, vary across rural areas and by state and U.S. region. The purpose of this policy brief is to measure state and regional differences in the availability of hospital-based obstetric services among rural hospitals in the U.S. in 2018.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Healthcare Access, Healthcare Quality, Hospitals, Rural Health Disparities