This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care

The Task Force on Maternal Mental Health's Report to Congress
A report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on maternal mental health including barriers to care, federal programs doing relevant work, identifying best practices, and offering suggestions to improve federal infrastructure. Topics discussed include substance use, mortality, social determinants of health, data gathering, community engagement, telehealth, screening, violence, policy, access to care, stigma, and more. Highlights programs across the country addressing maternal mental health issues including some in rural areas. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Health Insurance Coverage and Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Postpartum Abuse Screening Among Rural US Residents Who Gave Birth 2016-2020
Examines the relationship among intimate partner violence (IPV), perinatal health insurance coverage, and postpartum IPV screening in rural U.S. communities. Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data to analyze insurance status among rural residents, postpartum visits, and IPV screenings.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Alyssa H. Fritz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 655-663
Date: 2024
view details
Women Veterans: The Journey to Mental Wellness
Report discussing mental health for female veterans. Discusses topics including suicide prevention with a focus on rural issues, abuse and violence, substance use, eating disorders, social connectedness, maternity, and care coordination. Offers policy and research recommendations to the Veterans Health Administration.
Additional links: Quick Glance
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Disabled American Veterans
view details
2024 Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota
Report examining economic opportunity, safety, health and wellness, and leadership equality among women and girls in Minnesota based on data from the American Community Survey, Minnesota Student Survey, and other sources. Highlights disparities in healthcare access, food security, and environmental health for rural populations.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy, University of Minnesota, Women's Foundation of Minnesota
view details
Effects of Rurality and Distance to Care on Perinatal Outcomes over a 1-Year Period During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines how rurality and/or distance to care impacts perinatal outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, preterm labor, neonatal intensive care, birth weight, and more. Analyzes outcomes from 2,497 patients during the COVID-19 pandemic period of May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021, with results broken down by distance to care and metropolitan, micropolitan, or rural location.
Author(s): Pratyusha V. Bujimalla, Kimberly A. Kenne, Haley A. Steffen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 520-530
Date: 2024
view details
Arizona Health Improvement Plan Summary Document 2024-2025 Update
Describes state efforts to address health priorities in Arizona, including health equity, social determinants of health, mental well-being, and rural and urban underserved health. Highlights strategies to improve public health in each identified area.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
view details
Gestational Weight Gain Among Urban and Rural Pregnant Individuals Who Smoke or Quit Smoking
Examines the relationship between smoking cessation and gestational weight gain (GWG). Utilizes 2009-2020 Virginia Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data to analyze GWG and smoking in rural versus urban pregnant women.
Author(s): Kinsey Pebley, Asal Pilehvari, Rebecca A Krukowski, Melissa A Little
Citation: American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 66(5), 888-893
Date: 12/2023
view details
Tennessee Health Equity Plan, 2023-2028
Outlines strategies, timelines, and the steps to be taken to ensure equitable health services, meaningful partnerships, engaged communities, and a diverse, skilled workforce in Tennessee. Includes statistics on obesity with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and maternal care and food deserts.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
A Qualitative Study of Systems-Level Factors That Affect Rural Obstetric Nurses' Work During Clinical Emergencies
Evaluates systems-level factors affecting rural obstetric nurses and their care for patients experiencing clinical deterioration from interviews with 11 nurses and physicians at rural hospitals in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Identifies challenges and opportunities related to resource shortages, cooperation in the workplace, conflicting workplace responsibilities, facility policies and procedures, and more.
Author(s): Samantha L. Bernstein, Maya Piccolo, Elisabeth Grills, Kenneth Catchpole
Citation: The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 2024
Date: 12/2023
view details
Annual Report on the New Hampshire Health Care Workforce and Data Collection: Calendar Year 2023
Includes aggregate data and information on current and projected New Hampshire primary workforce needs and the participation rate on surveys completed by clinicians for the Health Professions Data Center. Features a state map showing rural and nonrural New Hampshire regional public health networks, and statistics on demographics, barriers to care, substance use and mental health, and maternal health. Includes license renewal data for various providers types, and workforce data on physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants, including percentage in rural regions.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organizations: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, New Hampshire Rural Health & Primary Care
view details