Maternal Health: Rural Maternity Care
Rural populations have limited access and availability of quality maternity care. With many labor and delivery units closing, hospitals and health systems are exploring various ways to provide maternity care. AHA highlights stories from rural hospitals below.
with Kittitas Valley Healthcare
In this conversation, Julie Petersen, CEO of Kittitas Valley Healthcare, discusses how her organization kept its promise to preserve essential obstetric services for women of all ages.
at Kittitas Valley Healthcare
Hospital engaged an OB Hospitalist Group on a rotating schedule and cross-trained other family practices physicians to help retain obstetric and other women’s health services.
with San Luis Valley Hospital
Hospital in rural Colorado is maximizing its resources and cross-training health care professionals to continue to deliver obstetric services in the communities it serves.
with Indian Health Services and Sanford Bemidji Medical Center
Maternal health experts discuss how health care organizations can provide culturally appropriate care to reduce disparities and systemic barriers for Indigenous women.
with St. Anthony Regional Hospital
Leaders from St. Anthony Regional Hospital discuss their "Center for Excellence" and the Center's success in bringing care to infants and mothers within their community and beyond.
with Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System established the state’s first free doula program for delivery and postpartum care.
with St. Peter’s Health
St. Peter’s Health’s Taking Care of You program connects patients experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and their families, with community resources to support their needs.
with Kearny County Hospital
The Pioneer Baby program improves pregnancy and birth outcomes by reducing pregnancy complications while increasing breastfeeding rates.
An obstetrician at Piedmont Preferred Women’s Healthcare shares how the shortage of nurses and physicians is a problem, particularly in rural, underserved communities.
Statistics on rural community hospitals in the U.S. and how many hospital births occur in them, maternity desserts and more.