Rural Maternity Wards Save Lives but Struggle to Stay Afloat

Having a maternity ward near one’s house can be make or break when it comes to a safe and healthy delivery. Rural maternity wards see fewer births every year, meaning many of them are on the chopping block for large hospital networks looking to cut costs. Washington State is seeing this problem exacerbated in certain years, with several maternity wards being forced to close in the last several years, including the closure of Toppenish Maternity Center in 2023. The closure of the Astria Health hospital forces expectant Toppenish mothers to drive anywhere from 10 minutes to a half hour to receive maternity care. In a situation where every second counts, Toppenish residents are forced to waste time they may not have on travel. More information about the Toppenish closure is available here, and information about Washington State Maternity closures is available here.

Across the country, nearly one in four rural hospitals stopped providing labor and delivery services from 2011 to 2021. Different road and geographical conditions can put rural residents at a huge disadvantage, increasing travel time exponentially. This is similarly illustrated by the 2024 closure of Evanston Regional Hospital in Wyoming. The closure of the Evanston hospital, following three other rural hospital closures in the last decade, leaves Wyoming mothers with few options and high costs. A Wyoming mother testifies, “It’s hard to make a good choice when none of the choices are adequate,” reflecting the obstacles healthcare closures place on expectant mothers. The closure of the Evanston hospital leaves just 17 birthing facilities for the entire state of Wyoming. Read more about the Evanston Closure here.