Report: 5 Pennsylvania counties considered maternity care deserts
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Allegheny Health Network Wexford hopes to reduce growing maternity care deserts across the state.
It seems there is a hospital on every corner in Pittsburgh. But for many people in Pennsylvania, it is anything but.
"Since 2018, there have been over 300 birthing units close," said Bryanna McDaniel, the director of maternal infant health for the March of Dimes.
McDaniel said Pennsylvania is not immune. A new report released by the March of Dimes shows nearly 6 million people struggle with areas of little to no access. The data shows 1,119 counties qualify as maternity care deserts, up 2 percent.
In the state, Pennsylvanians have seen a 14 percent decrease in the number of birthing hospitals. Cameron, Forest, Juniata, Sullivan and Wyoming are all considered maternity care deserts.
"Distance to a birthing center just varies drastically and increases almost three times when we're looking at rural versus urban," McDaniel said.
Dr. Allan Klapper said the demand for more labor and delivery hospitals is there.
"We're doing close to 1,400 deliveries, that's the projection for this year," he said. "Our fist year we did 1,250 deliveries."
That's nearly four women in active labor each day needing to get to a hospital fast. Klapper said AHN's newest hospitals are pulling patients from all over.
He said he is not surprised by the March of Dimes' report. He added that it shows the need to advocate for more labor and delivery units to ensure equitable care.
"If you have a serious condition going on in pregnancy, abruption being one of them, it can make the difference between a healthy outcome or a baby and mom that are compromised," Klapper said.
According to the report, women with more health issues were also more likely to live in these maternity deserts, so the issues just compounded on one another.
Click here to read the report.