A new report highlights the scarcity of maternal care in rural NC

By: Lynn Bonner

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: September 15, 2026

Words: 399

Last Updated: 2 days, 19 hours ago

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One in six North Carolina counties is a maternity care desert, with no birthing facilities or obstetric clinicians, according to a new report from the March of Dimes.

About 61,000 women ages 18 to 44 live in maternity care deserts, and 4,000 babies are born each year to mothers who live in maternity care deserts. Almost 67% of maternity deserts are in rural counties. Twelve percent of counties have only one obstetric clinician.

Patricia …

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