Rural Maternal Health – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Maternal Health.
Non-Health Care Costs Associated with Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Visitation
Summarizes household expenses associated with neonatal intensive care unit visitation including transportation, lost wages, lodging, childcare, and more. Includes metropolitan and non-metropolitan comparisons in Appendix Table 2.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Gourevitch, Evan Ellicott, Christina Kim, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Summarizes household expenses associated with neonatal intensive care unit visitation including transportation, lost wages, lodging, childcare, and more. Includes metropolitan and non-metropolitan comparisons in Appendix Table 2.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Gourevitch, Evan Ellicott, Christina Kim, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(3)
Date: 03/2025
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Rural Maternal Health Interventions: A Scoping Review and Implications for Best Practices
Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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Medicaid-Covered Health Care Visits During the Postpartum Year: Variation by Enrollee Characteristics and State
Examines 2018 Medicaid claims data in 46 states to evaluate the impact of extending postpartum coverage from 60 days to 1 year. Offers comparisons by state Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion status and rural or urban residence, among other variables. Discusses access and healthcare disparities.
Author(s): Laura Barrie Smith, Claire O'Brien, Keqin Wei, Timothy A. Waidmann, Genevieve M. Kenney
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(2)
Date: 02/2025
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Examines 2018 Medicaid claims data in 46 states to evaluate the impact of extending postpartum coverage from 60 days to 1 year. Offers comparisons by state Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion status and rural or urban residence, among other variables. Discusses access and healthcare disparities.
Author(s): Laura Barrie Smith, Claire O'Brien, Keqin Wei, Timothy A. Waidmann, Genevieve M. Kenney
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(2)
Date: 02/2025
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A Perinatal Psychiatry Access Program to Address Rural and Medically Underserved Populations Using Telemedicine
Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
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Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
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Postpartum Health Care Use in Medicaid During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Implications for Extending Postpartum Coverage
Examines the impact of Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the impact of Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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A Rural-Urban Analysis of Buprenorphine Therapy During and after Pregnancy among the Commercially Insured
Explores the use of evidence-based buprenorphine treatment and adherence during the peri-pregnancy period among commercially insured individuals by rurality. Analyzes data on 1,331,040 people between 15 and 44 years-old with diagnosis codes for pregnancy and labor/delivery from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019.
Author(s): KariLynn Dowling-McClay, Bill Brooks, Daniel Krauss, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Explores the use of evidence-based buprenorphine treatment and adherence during the peri-pregnancy period among commercially insured individuals by rurality. Analyzes data on 1,331,040 people between 15 and 44 years-old with diagnosis codes for pregnancy and labor/delivery from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019.
Author(s): KariLynn Dowling-McClay, Bill Brooks, Daniel Krauss, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative
Describes accomplishments of the Health Resources and Services Administration's initiative to strengthen, expand, and accelerate work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities, especially in underserved areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Describes accomplishments of the Health Resources and Services Administration's initiative to strengthen, expand, and accelerate work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities, especially in underserved areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Resources for Measuring Rurality in Research on Maternity Care
Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Explores how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with a focus on maternal health research. Describes multiple measures and definitions commonly employed to categorize rural populations. Discusses the implications of these definitions for research, public health interventions, and policy formulation.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Mary-Jane Adole, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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America's Health Rankings 2025 Health of Women and Children Report
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in mortality, severe morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women at the national level, including a spotlight on chronic conditions among women in rural communities on document page 3. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in mortality, severe morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women at the national level, including a spotlight on chronic conditions among women in rural communities on document page 3. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Partner Perspectives of Tailoring Technology-Assisted CBT Depression Treatment for Perinatal People Served by Head Start
Examines the impact of tailoring technology-assisted perinatal depression (PND) treatment to improve mental healthcare access and health outcomes for women. Analyzes qualitative feedback from partners at a rural Michigan Head Start program regarding their perceptions on the treatment content and suggestions for modifications. Discusses challenges and barriers to PND in rural communities and the need for tailored mental health support.
Author(s): Marni J. Rubyan, Addie Weaver, Rana Kanafani, et al.
Citation: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 19(2)
Date: 2025
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Examines the impact of tailoring technology-assisted perinatal depression (PND) treatment to improve mental healthcare access and health outcomes for women. Analyzes qualitative feedback from partners at a rural Michigan Head Start program regarding their perceptions on the treatment content and suggestions for modifications. Discusses challenges and barriers to PND in rural communities and the need for tailored mental health support.
Author(s): Marni J. Rubyan, Addie Weaver, Rana Kanafani, et al.
Citation: Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 19(2)
Date: 2025
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Last Updated: 2/17/2026