The March of Dimes said the farther a woman has to travel to receive birthing care, the greater the risk of maternal and infant morbidity.
Two maternity wards at health care facilities in Alabama are planning to close by the end of the month and a third will close a few weeks later, forcing expecting mothers in the area to travel further for care in a state that already struggles with providing birthing care access to its residents, NBC News reported.
“There’s a sense of dread knowing that there’s going to be families who are now not only driving to the county over, but driving through three counties,” Honour McDaniel, director of maternal and infant health initiatives for the March of Dimes in Alabama, told NBC News. According to the March of Dimes, more than a third of Alabama’s counties are considered maternity deserts — having no access to a hospital with obstetrics care, birth centers, OB-GYNs or certified nurse midwives. And on average, a woman has to travel 17.4 miles to get to a hospital with maternal care options.
The closing of these most recent maternity units is attributed to staff shortages and lack of funds, NBC News said.
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