Fewer people in the United States can reach hospital-based obstetric care within a reasonable drive than a decade ago, according to a new national study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. The study found that from 2010 to 2021, access to obstetric care declined across the country as hospitals closed labor and delivery units, forcing many pregnant people to travel farther for care. The study, “Obstetric Service Availability and Travel Time to Access Obstetric Services in the U.S., 2010–2021,” is published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
This article was originally published on MedicalXpress.com
