The Green Room: A Podcast from Obstetrics & Gynecology August 2025: Obstetrics
Jul 17, 2025
Katy Backes Kozhimannil, a distinguished professor at the University of Minnesota, dives into critical issues surrounding maternity care in the U.S. She discusses the alarming link between maternity care deserts and rising maternal mortality rates, advocating for urgent policy reforms. The conversation shifts to the complexities of measuring maternity care access and the challenges in tracking service availability, highlighting the need for better data. Kozhimannil also emphasizes the contributions of family physicians in rural settings, pushing for more accurate representation in discussions about maternity care.
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Structural Inequities Drive Maternal Risk
- Structural inequities and rural care shortages drive maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S..
- Robbins framed the study to provide data to inform policy that can prevent closures and widen disparities.
Use Data To Inform Policy Advocacy
- Use empirical data to advocate for policies protecting maternity services and Medicaid funding.
- Robbins urged clinicians and researchers to gather data to influence state and federal budget decisions.
Desert Counties Show Higher Maternal Deaths
- Counties classified as maternity care deserts had significantly higher maternal mortality rates than full-access counties after adjustment.
- Desert counties had 32 vs 23 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births within 42 days postpartum in this analysis.