Nearly 36% of counties in the United States have limited or no maternity care centers at all and have turned into "maternity care deserts", and about 2 in 3 or 61.5% are rural, according to a March of Dimes report.
Over 200 rural hospitals have closed labor centers recently, leaving nearly 55% of rural hospitals without labor services. Often, mothers in rural areas must travel for about 40 minutes to obtain maternity care.
The non-availability of labor and delivery care in rural areas across the US has become an alarming issue with untoward consequences on infant and maternal health.
The Growing Gap in the Heath Care Services is Quite Frightening
Over 2.2 million US women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts, and about 6.9 million women of all ages live in areas with limited or no access to maternity care. The rapidly increasing closure of essential health services and the reduction in maternity care services in rural hospitals over the past decade is not just data but a growing gap in the US healthcare system that leads to increased risks for expectant mothers.
One of the most disturbing impacts of the unavailability of maternity care is the heightened risk of birth injuries and related complications. If you are facing such a challenging situation, and if your child has suffered a birth injury, it is essential to know your legal rights, as you may be eligible for financial compensation.
Financial Challenges and Workforce Shortages in Rural Hospitals Increase the Risk of Medical Malpractice
As much as 40% of lawsuits related to birth injuries claim that substandard management of labor and delivery due to a lack of health care professionals for monitoring contributed to injuries and severe complications. In addition, rural maternity care centers face complex issues and are understaffed, which can lead to preventable maternal and child injuries during labor.
About financial challenges faced by rural hospitals, it is estimated that labor and delivery services cost more than any other services because maternity care needs physicians and nurses to be present throughout the day and night. Hence, 33% of rural hospitals lose money by providing maternity care. As a result, healthcare professionals in rural areas are paid less leading to staffing challenges. The financial crisis and shortage of healthcare professionals willing to work in rural areas lead to poor quality maternity care.
Get Help from Sean M. Cleary for Immediate Legal Action
The rapidly increasing rate of birth injuries associated with the lack of rural maternity care services stresses the urgency of addressing this crisis, especially for parents and families who are left managing the effects of birth injuries for the rest of their life.
A lot of children are affected by birth injuries caused by medical malpractice in overcrowded, understaffed birthing centers, and all of them deserve support. If your baby was harmed during birth, we will help you file a birth injury claim to hold the responsible facility accountable for your pain and suffering and help your family get justice and compensation.