More Than Half of Missouri Counties Identified as Maternity Care Deserts
More than half of Missouri counties have been identified as maternity care deserts, lacking both labor and delivery units and obstetric doctors, according to a March of Dimes report.
Springfield, MO, September 25, 2026 — A recent report by the March of Dimes has identified a significant portion of Missouri’s counties as maternity care deserts. According to the findings, more than half of the state’s counties fall into this category.
Maternity care deserts are defined as areas that lack essential reproductive healthcare services. In Missouri, these identified counties are characterized by a deficiency in both labor and delivery units and the availability of obstetric doctors. The precise number of counties affected and the specific names of these counties were not detailed in the summary provided.
The March of Dimes, a non-profit organization focused on the health of mothers and babies, compiled the report. The report’s findings highlight potential gaps in access to maternal healthcare across the state.
Information regarding the specific timeline of the report’s publication, the methodology used to define and identify these deserts, or any proposed solutions or subsequent actions by state or local health authorities is not available from the provided summary.
The lack of readily accessible labor and delivery services and obstetricians in these areas may present challenges for expectant mothers in Missouri who require critical care during pregnancy and childbirth. Further details on the implications or statistics beyond the broad identification of over half the counties are not presently available.
Story summarized from the original created by Stephen Grant on www.ky3.com, see more information here.
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