Number of Rural Hospitals Delivering Babies Continues to Shrink Drastically

A newly issued report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform (CHQPR) claims that, just since 2020, over 100 rural hospitals have stopped delivering babies or will by the end of this year. Moreover, a mere 42% of all rural hospitals still offer labor and delivery services. These figures are daunting for pregnant women because the implications include longer commutes to find a hospital that provides these vital services, which can be life-threatening for medically complicated pregnancies. The CHQPR report does, however, outline possible actions that can be taken to curb this alarming trend.