Is the Rural Obstetric Unit Closing?

There's not one answer to why a rural o b unit would close. We don't see these changing trends in things like infant mortality, that occur right before a closure occurs. And if anything, there's actually a slightly beneficial effect for mothers. There are about three thousand counties in the united states, so 480 counties lose all obstetric services. That's a pretty large % of geographic units in the united States that experience the shock.