Article Summary –
Many rural hospitals in Pennsylvania are closing, leading to the expansion of “maternity care deserts,” where birthing facilities and maternity care providers are scarce, forcing expecting mothers to travel long distances for care. Workforce recruitment challenges, particularly in specialized areas like obstetrics, and financial strains due to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, contribute to these closures. Solutions proposed include increasing the number of birthing centers with midwifery care, diversifying healthcare workforce, and addressing integrated healthcare systems to bridge the gaps left by closed maternity wards.
Expectant mothers in Pennsylvania might face a journey of 30 minutes or more to reach a hospital with labor and delivery services.
Over the past decade, more than 100 rural hospitals have closed nationwide, with 700 at risk. Pennsylvania, with 67 counties, has seen six rural hospital closures in five years as per Becker’s Hospital Review, and 18 more are threatened.
The March of Dimes highlighted a rapid decrease in rural maternity wards. In Pennsylvania, over 7% of counties are “maternity care deserts,” with no birthing facilities or providers.
The closure of the UMPC Cole maternity ward in 2025 created a 100-mile care gap, affecting counties like Cameron and Clarion.
Reasons for closures include workforce scarcity. Lisa Davis from the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health noted recruitment and retention of primary care providers as major challenges.
On January 5, 2026, Warren General Hospital announced the closure of its labor ward, widening northwest Pennsylvania’s maternity desert to eight counties.
Davis noted the struggle to attract OB-GYNs to rural areas, where higher numbers of patients use Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid covers 35.2% of Pennsylvania births but reimburses only 71 cents per dollar spent.
Dr. Amanda Flicker, an obstetrician in Allentown, emphasizes a lack of prenatal care providers. She cited preeclampsia, a common pregnancy complication, among conditions needing early diagnosis.
Flicker is working on improving rural maternal health by enhancing the healthcare workforce with more nurse midwives. Kate Bauer from the American Association of Birth Centers supports birth centers as a solution but acknowledges they can’t replace hospitals.
Despite a growth in birth centers, closures continue, including Pennsylvania’s Lifecycle Wellness and Birth Center, due to rising medical complications and costs.
Brittanny Groover from Dilliner, Pennsylvania, fears losing her rural hospital, valuing its proximity over distant urban care. Her experiences highlight the critical need for local healthcare access in rural areas.
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