Rural Maternal Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Maternal Health.
Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Risk in Pregnant Women, United States
Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Reporting and Performance of Maternity-Related Quality Measures in Critical Access Hospitals
Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with and without labor and delivery services. Examines CAH quality reporting and performance on five key measures related to maternity care and birth outcomes. Explores relationships between maternity care quality performance and CAH characteristics such as system affiliation, volume, and location. Identifies quality measures related to maternity and birth outcomes that are most feasible and relevant for CAHs and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke, Hamdi Abas
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with and without labor and delivery services. Examines CAH quality reporting and performance on five key measures related to maternity care and birth outcomes. Explores relationships between maternity care quality performance and CAH characteristics such as system affiliation, volume, and location. Identifies quality measures related to maternity and birth outcomes that are most feasible and relevant for CAHs and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke, Hamdi Abas
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Delivering Quality: Maternity Care Innovation in Critical Access Hospitals
Presents case studies of six Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that are high performers on maternity care quality measures. Summarizes interviews with leaders from each CAH regarding the benefits of their Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, use of safety bundles, training activities, and other successes in providing maternity care.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents case studies of six Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that are high performers on maternity care quality measures. Summarizes interviews with leaders from each CAH regarding the benefits of their Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, use of safety bundles, training activities, and other successes in providing maternity care.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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REH Learning Brief: Obstetric Care in Rural Emergency Hospitals
Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Describes how three Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs) approach delivering obstetric-related care. Discusses challenges to providing obstetric services each facility faced prior to their conversion to REH status, and strategies implemented under the REH designation. Identifies common strategies these facilities take to support obstetric care without traditional labor and delivery services.
Author(s): Hope Burch, Candice Talkington, Annette Schnabel, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Redesign Center
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Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care in Rural and Urban US Hospitals, 2010-2022
A research letter that discusses the availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural and urban hospitals. Analyzes changes in intermediate or intensive neonatal care availability between 2010 and 2022 in 3,257 U.S. birth hospitals according to rurality.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2559680
Date: 02/2026
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A research letter that discusses the availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural and urban hospitals. Analyzes changes in intermediate or intensive neonatal care availability between 2010 and 2022 in 3,257 U.S. birth hospitals according to rurality.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2559680
Date: 02/2026
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Patterns of Telehealth Use During Pregnancy and Postpartum Among Commercially Insured Women
Examines the use of telehealth among pregnant and postpartum women by rural versus urban location and type of service. Utilizes 2019-2021 data to examine telehealth visits by patient characteristics, predelivery versus postpartum use, service type, and rurality. Discusses the role of telehealth to access mental health services and differences between rural and urban telehealth use.
Author(s): Adit Doza, Lijing Ouyang, Donatus U. Ekwueme, et al.
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(2)
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the use of telehealth among pregnant and postpartum women by rural versus urban location and type of service. Utilizes 2019-2021 data to examine telehealth visits by patient characteristics, predelivery versus postpartum use, service type, and rurality. Discusses the role of telehealth to access mental health services and differences between rural and urban telehealth use.
Author(s): Adit Doza, Lijing Ouyang, Donatus U. Ekwueme, et al.
Citation: Journal of Women's Health, 35(2)
Date: 02/2026
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Maternal Health Workforce Expansion and Local Childbirths
Results of a study to determine whether the National Health Service Corps's support of clinicians to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas has resulted in improved access to local childbirth care. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Yanlei Ma, Olesya Baker, Fang Zhang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2556775
Date: 02/2026
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Results of a study to determine whether the National Health Service Corps's support of clinicians to work in Health Professional Shortage Areas has resulted in improved access to local childbirth care. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Yanlei Ma, Olesya Baker, Fang Zhang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2556775
Date: 02/2026
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Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a New Rural Maternity Care Center Amid Nationwide Closures
Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010–2023: A State-by-State Report
Provides national, state, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care access from 2010-2023. Displays county-level maps of changes in hospital-based services availability between 2010-2023, highlighting changes from 2022 to 2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural counties.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Provides national, state, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care access from 2010-2023. Displays county-level maps of changes in hospital-based services availability between 2010-2023, highlighting changes from 2022 to 2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural counties.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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State of the U.S. Maternal Health Workforce, 2025
Offers demographic and occupational data on the maternal health workforce. Data sources include various years between 2021 and 2023. Includes current and projected comparisons of the workforce with the female population of childbearing age. Table 4 includes distribution of maternal health physicians compared with the population of women of childbearing age for large metropolitan, medium metropolitan, small metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas in 2023.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Offers demographic and occupational data on the maternal health workforce. Data sources include various years between 2021 and 2023. Includes current and projected comparisons of the workforce with the female population of childbearing age. Table 4 includes distribution of maternal health physicians compared with the population of women of childbearing age for large metropolitan, medium metropolitan, small metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore areas in 2023.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, National Center for Health Workforce Analysis
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Last Updated: 2/26/2026