ABC News Live Prime: Nowhere to Go: Dr. Mark Simon on the March of Dimes Report and the Rise of Maternity Care Deserts

ABC News Live Prime: Nowhere to Go: Dr. Mark Simon on the March of Dimes Report and the Rise of Maternity Care Deserts

In an interview on ABC News Live Prime, Dr. Mark Simon, chief medical officer at Ob Hospitalist Group, discussed the March of Dimes finding that 34.6% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts, attributing the crisis to a mix of factors, including clinician shortages and hospitals struggling to earn enough revenue to keep obstetric units staffed around the clock. Simon warned that women in these underserved communities often face longer travel times and delayed prenatal care, which can allow untreated health conditions to lead to complications for mother and baby. He advised affected women to seek out local health care providers and health departments for help navigating care, and pointed to multi-part solutions: expanding the types of clinicians allowed to practice in rural areas, including certified nurse midwives, reworking hospital and birth center reimbursement models, and reassessing staffing requirements for keeping units open.