Research Alert: September 11, 2024

Information for Rural Stakeholders About Access to Maternity and Obstetric Care: A Community-Relevant Synthesis of Research

This document aims to inform rural stakeholders about challenges related to access to and quality of hospital-based childbirth care in rural U.S. communities. It summarizes available data on:

• Challenges of providing obstetric services in rural settings.
• Quality and outcomes of care at low-volume rural obstetric units.
• Risks associated with rural obstetric unit closures.
• Challenges faced by communities without hospital-based obstetric care.

Researchers also describe clinical and policy efforts to improve access and quality of care for birthing people and their infants in low-volume rural obstetric units and in rural communities that lack access to hospital-based obstetric care. This synthesis provides information about the potential effects of decisions that rural stakeholders make about health care and community resources.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More FORHP-funded research on Maternal health
• More information about the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guide: Maternal Health