Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health workforce
Implementing a Telehealth Perinatal Depression Prevention Program: Perspectives of Rural and Urban Clinical Staff
Surveys 24 maternal health clinical staff, including nurses, medical assistants, lactation consultants, and others, on the implementation of a telehealth perinatal depression prevention program. Analyzes rural and urban differences in perceptions of facilitators and barriers of program participation among staff and patients.
Author(s): Tumilara Aderibigbe, Wen Tu, Ryoko Kausler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Nursing Management
Date: 10/2026
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Surveys 24 maternal health clinical staff, including nurses, medical assistants, lactation consultants, and others, on the implementation of a telehealth perinatal depression prevention program. Analyzes rural and urban differences in perceptions of facilitators and barriers of program participation among staff and patients.
Author(s): Tumilara Aderibigbe, Wen Tu, Ryoko Kausler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Nursing Management
Date: 10/2026
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South Dakota Department of Health - Maternal and Infant Health Task Force Strategic Plan
Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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Frontiers: A Rural Maternal Health Podcast Series
A podcast series that examines strategies hospitals use to improve access to maternal healthcare and connect rural areas with clinical expertise.
Additional links: Episode 1 - Frontiers: Committing to Rural Maternal Care, Episode 2 - Frontiers: The People Powering Rural Maternal Care, Episode 3 - Connected Rural Maternal Care, Closer to Home
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast series that examines strategies hospitals use to improve access to maternal healthcare and connect rural areas with clinical expertise.
Additional links: Episode 1 - Frontiers: Committing to Rural Maternal Care, Episode 2 - Frontiers: The People Powering Rural Maternal Care, Episode 3 - Connected Rural Maternal Care, Closer to Home
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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What Will It Take to Sustain Maternal Care in Rural Communities? These Strategies Are Helping Keep Care Close to Home
Discusses challenges facing rural maternal healthcare, such as workforce shortages, low birth volumes, and reimbursement. Provides strategies to help improve sustainability, focusing on leadership, diversifying the workforce, strengthening regional and community partnerships, extending community care, addressing behavioral health and social needs, and supporting financial sustainability.
Author(s): Julia J. Resnick, Aisha Syeda
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Discusses challenges facing rural maternal healthcare, such as workforce shortages, low birth volumes, and reimbursement. Provides strategies to help improve sustainability, focusing on leadership, diversifying the workforce, strengthening regional and community partnerships, extending community care, addressing behavioral health and social needs, and supporting financial sustainability.
Author(s): Julia J. Resnick, Aisha Syeda
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. 2026
Reports on maternal healthcare access and provides data on maternity care deserts, distribution of OB providers, and travel time to maternity care, including color-coded, county-level maps. Includes rural versus urban data comparisons of maternal health workforce availability, travel distance to care, and labor and delivery unit closures, and discusses efforts to address rural shortages, including the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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Reports on maternal healthcare access and provides data on maternity care deserts, distribution of OB providers, and travel time to maternity care, including color-coded, county-level maps. Includes rural versus urban data comparisons of maternal health workforce availability, travel distance to care, and labor and delivery unit closures, and discusses efforts to address rural shortages, including the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP).
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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Reimagining Rural Maternal and Child Health
Describes Rural Health Transformation Program efforts in 6 states addressing maternal and child health through workforce recruitment and retention, technology and regional hubs, and integrated care models.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Describes Rural Health Transformation Program efforts in 6 states addressing maternal and child health through workforce recruitment and retention, technology and regional hubs, and integrated care models.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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State Midwifery Full Practice Authority Policies and Midwife-Attended Births among Rural and Urban U.S. Residents
Analyzes how the implementation of state policies providing full practice authority to midwives was associated with the percentage of midwife-attended births in rural and urban areas between 2007 and 2023, using CDC WONDER data. Compares rates of midwife-attended births among states with and without full practice authority and those that passed policies during the study period.
Author(s): Clara E. Busse, Emily C. Sheffield, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Women's Health Issues, 36(5), 436-443
Date: 07/2026
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Analyzes how the implementation of state policies providing full practice authority to midwives was associated with the percentage of midwife-attended births in rural and urban areas between 2007 and 2023, using CDC WONDER data. Compares rates of midwife-attended births among states with and without full practice authority and those that passed policies during the study period.
Author(s): Clara E. Busse, Emily C. Sheffield, Caitlin Carroll, et al.
Citation: Women's Health Issues, 36(5), 436-443
Date: 07/2026
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Georgia Obstetrics & Gynecology Fact Sheet: Based on 2023-2024 Physician Licensure Data
Provides statistics on obstetricians and gynecologists in Georgia, based on data from the 2023-2024 Physician Survey. Includes maps showing counties that are nonmetropolitan areas, and obstetricians and gynecologists rate per 100,000 population, by county.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Provides statistics on obstetricians and gynecologists in Georgia, based on data from the 2023-2024 Physician Survey. Includes maps showing counties that are nonmetropolitan areas, and obstetricians and gynecologists rate per 100,000 population, by county.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Rhode Island Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Rhode Island in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Rhode Island in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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New Jersey Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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