Rural Maternity Care Faces Growing Risk Across Vermont and Region

Last updated: August 29, 2026

NewsWK — Expecting mothers in rural communities across Vermont and neighboring states face significant travel times for delivery care if local maternity wards face further cutbacks. A recent analysis highlights growing concerns over regional healthcare access, particularly for low-income families relying on public insurance programs.

For families living in Bennington County and surrounding rural towns, preserving local labor and delivery services remains critical to maintaining safe, timely medical care. In 14 states, including Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, losing a local rural hospital or obstetrics unit would require Medicaid patients to drive an hour or more to reach the next nearest facility offering inpatient maternity care.

Why it matters here

In our area, winter weather, mountain roads, and limited transit options already complicate routine travel for specialized medical visits. When expectant parents must travel long distances during active labor, the risks to both parent and newborn increase substantially.

The study from KFF, an independent health research organization, found that nationwide, the median drive time between rural hospitals providing Medicaid inpatient maternity care and the closest in-state alternative is 43 minutes. In contrast, patients in urban areas face a median drive time of just 13 minutes.

For residents throughout Bennington County, Windham County, and bordering communities in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and Rensselaer County, New York, maintaining stable local maternity services is essential to preventing dangerous delivery-day delays.

National trends show shrinking rural options

The reduction in rural obstetric services has developed over more than a decade. Between 2010 and 2022, 238 rural hospitals across the country closed their obstetrics departments, while only 26 facilities opened new units during the same timeframe.

By 2023, nearly half of all rural counties in the United States lacked a hospital offering obstetrics services entirely. According to a 2022 report from the Government Accountability Office, these closures have been largely driven by low Medicaid reimbursement rates, rising operational expenses, and ongoing hurdles in recruiting and retaining specialized healthcare providers.

Health policy experts warn that recent federal policy shifts could place additional pressure on vulnerable facilities. Healthcare provisions in broad federal spending legislation enacted under President Donald Trump reduce specific hospital payments and implement Medicaid work requirements that may reduce overall enrollment numbers.

Brittni Frederiksen, an associate director at KFF who specializes in women’s health policy, noted that many rural medical centers are already stretched thin. “There are likely going to be rural hospitals that close their obstetric units or have to close the entire hospital, and so people will have greater distances to travel to safely deliver a baby,” Frederiksen said.

Maternal health risks tied to distance

Extended travel times during pregnancy and delivery are closely linked to poorer health outcomes. Research connects reduced access to obstetrical care with higher rates of maternal mortality, premature deliveries, and low birth weights.

Federal data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that the United States recorded a maternal mortality rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024. That figure is double or triple the rates observed in most other high-income nations, according to findings from The Commonwealth Fund.

These health disparities fall heavily on low-income patients. Recent survey data from 2023 and 2024 shows that pregnant women covered by Medicaid faced higher rates of serious medical complications, including gestational diabetes and high blood pressure, compared to patients with commercial health plans.

“We already have a maternal health crisis in this country, and already have very poor outcomes when it comes to delivering babies safely in this country. And then in rural areas, in particular, people already have to travel long distances to deliver,” Frederiksen said. “Anytime you increase the distance to delivery, you know the likelihood that it could result in poor outcomes increases.”

Where drive times are longest

While states like New Jersey, Louisiana, and Ohio maintain relatively short travel distances between maternity care facilities, rural states across New England and the Mountain West show substantial vulnerabilities. The states where a rural maternity closure would leave Medicaid patients with median travel times of an hour or more include:

• Alaska, Nevada, and North Dakota, which face the longest travel times overall
• Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in the Northeast
• Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming in the West
• Florida and Virginia in the South, along with Hawaii

Hospital consolidations and corporate mergers have also frequently resulted in the closure of labor and delivery units to cut overhead, leaving rural communities with fewer options.

How this affects you

Expectant parents in Southwestern Vermont and neighboring border towns should confirm their delivery plans early in pregnancy with their obstetricians, midwives, or local healthcare network. Staying informed on regional hospital resources and planning travel routes ahead of time helps ensure families receive prompt, safe care when labor begins.

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