The Crisis of Maternity Care: A Design Flaw in U.S. Healthcare
Nearly half of U.S. counties are without a practicing obstetrician or gynecologist, revealing significant gaps in maternity care access and a deeper systemic issue in healthcare design.
A striking issue in the U.S. healthcare system is the lack of access to maternity care, with nearly half of the counties lacking a practicing obstetrician or gynecologist.
This situation persists despite declining fertility rates, which should ideally lessen the burden on healthcare providers.
The absence of adequate maternity care reflects not just logistical challenges, but also deeper systemic flaws in how healthcare is structured and delivered across the country.
Updates
Update at 08:30 UTC on 2026-06-19
STAT reported Shrinking fertility should mean less strain on doctors. But nearly half of U.S. counties lack a practicing obstetrician or gynecologist.
Sources: STAT