Report highlights how rural areas expanded maternity care access

The Health Resources and Services Administration's Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program has released a report highlighting how three rural maternal health networks funded by the agency expanded maternity care access from September 2021 through August 2025. The report explains how networks in Minnesota, Missouri and West Virginia used telehealth, remote patient monitoring, patient navigation, group prenatal care, doula services and other strategies that addressed provider shortages and transportation barriers in rural communities. More than 8,600 women were served across the networks during the implementation period. The networks reported improvements in first-trimester prenatal care, postpartum visit utilization and infant health outcomes. The report includes strategies used by RMOMS networks to help improve maternal and infant health in rural areas.