Rural Maternal Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Maternal Health.
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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Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program: 2021 Cohort Final Report
Highlights the work of the second cohort of Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) networks, funded to address rural maternal health challenges and improve access to maternal healthcare. Provides an overview of the work of the awardees: Families First: Rural Maternity Health Collaborative in Minnesota, RMOM-Southeast Missouri Partnership, and West Virginia Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Collaborative. Shares information about the populations served, as well as discussing key network coordination strategies used by the 2021 cohort and the 2019 cohort.
Additional links: Full Report (PDF)
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
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Highlights the work of the second cohort of Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (Rural MOMS) networks, funded to address rural maternal health challenges and improve access to maternal healthcare. Provides an overview of the work of the awardees: Families First: Rural Maternity Health Collaborative in Minnesota, RMOM-Southeast Missouri Partnership, and West Virginia Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Collaborative. Shares information about the populations served, as well as discussing key network coordination strategies used by the 2021 cohort and the 2019 cohort.
Additional links: Full Report (PDF)
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
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Improving Maternal Mental Health in Women With Serious Mental Illness
Report highlights gaps in maternal mental healthcare access and highlights promising practices aimed at closing those gaps in several states. Discusses factors that affect maternal mental health access, such as screening, workforce, training, and peer support, among others.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report highlights gaps in maternal mental healthcare access and highlights promising practices aimed at closing those gaps in several states. Discusses factors that affect maternal mental health access, such as screening, workforce, training, and peer support, among others.
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Maternal Chronic Disease Prevention in Rural America: A Life Course Perspective
Examines maternal chronic disease management in rural areas of the United States. Discusses social determinants of health and maternal health disparities specific to rural areas. Provides policy, public health surveillance, and community engagement approaches to address the rural maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Kobi V Ajayi, Emesomhi Eboreime, Alva Ferdinand, Ninfa Purcell, Robin Page
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 12/2025
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Examines maternal chronic disease management in rural areas of the United States. Discusses social determinants of health and maternal health disparities specific to rural areas. Provides policy, public health surveillance, and community engagement approaches to address the rural maternal health crisis.
Author(s): Kobi V Ajayi, Emesomhi Eboreime, Alva Ferdinand, Ninfa Purcell, Robin Page
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Date: 12/2025
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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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When the Hospital CEO Becomes the Patient: Rural Maternal Care Up Close
A conversation with Eilidh Pederson, CEO of Western Wisconsin Health, focused on her experience giving birth at a rural Critical Access Hospital. Discusses high-quality maternal healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Julia Resnick, Eilidh Pederson
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A conversation with Eilidh Pederson, CEO of Western Wisconsin Health, focused on her experience giving birth at a rural Critical Access Hospital. Discusses high-quality maternal healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Julia Resnick, Eilidh Pederson
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Development of a Cocurricular Program to Prepare New Graduate Midwives for Rural Practice
Examines the Colorado Rural Midwifery Workforce Expansion Program which provides cocurricular programming for midwife trainees wishing to practice in rural areas. Discusses the impact of rural-focused maternal healthcare programs on the rural maternal health workforce supply and patient healthcare access.
Author(s): Shannon Pirrie, E. Brie Thumm, Katherine J. Kissler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 70(6), 897-903
Date: 11/2025
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Examines the Colorado Rural Midwifery Workforce Expansion Program which provides cocurricular programming for midwife trainees wishing to practice in rural areas. Discusses the impact of rural-focused maternal healthcare programs on the rural maternal health workforce supply and patient healthcare access.
Author(s): Shannon Pirrie, E. Brie Thumm, Katherine J. Kissler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, 70(6), 897-903
Date: 11/2025
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