When Maternity Wards Disappear: The Crisis of Rural Birth Care
More than 100 rural maternity units have shut down since 2020, leaving many women hours from safe delivery. The answer isn’t home birth—it’s rebuilding trust, structure, and responsibility.
Why closing rural maternity units increases deaths and what rebuilding safe access must look like
A quiet emergency is unfolding in rural America. In 2025 alone, 27 maternity units have closed or announced plans to close, bringing the total to 116 closures since 2020 according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. For many communities,…
