The U.S. maternal health crisis is getting worse, with far too many women struggling to find necessary maternity care. This problem is most severe in “maternity care deserts” — areas without hospitals, birth centers, or obstetricians. Recent research by the March of Dimes found that these deserts are expanding, with millions of women actively struggling to find quality maternity care.
The impact of this crisis isn’t limited to individual women and their families. Its effects are far-reaching, affecting communities, businesses, and the broader economy. For instance, a lack of access to essential maternity care increases the likelihood of complications before, during, and after childbirth. It also leads to higher healthcare costs. This puts more pressure on women, children, healthcare systems, and other care providers to find answers to seemingly impossible challenges.
The State of Maternal Health by the Numbers
The data on U.S. maternal health paints a bleak picture for millions of potential mothers.
Research estimates that about 2.2 million women of childbearing age are living in maternity care deserts. These regions, which cover an astounding 1,119 of U.S. counties, lack sufficient facilities and providers to serve expectant mothers. And since 2020, these maternal care deserts have grown by 2%.
As a result, nearly 500,000 births each year happen in locations where essential medical support is not readily available, putting the health of mothers and babies at risk.
But it’s important to recognize that access to maternity care is a problem that extends beyond these deserts. In fact, the number of counties with limited or no maternity services has increased by 5% since 2020. And unfortunately, this growing gap in healthcare access has a particularly severe impact on rural and underserved areas.
Clearly, it’s essential for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community leaders to collaborate and take swift, decisive action to address these disparities. But employers have a role to play, too.
How Maternity Care Deserts Affect Employees and Employers
Maternity care deserts significantly affect both employees and employers, but in different ways.
With employees, maternity care deserts lead to an unavoidable increase in health risks and stress due to missed prenatal care and the challenges of managing pregnancy without local support. This not only jeopardizes women’s health (and increases costs associated with paying for their healthcare), but also poses a serious threat to their children’s health.
What’s at stake for employers? In combination, these factors erode work attendance, engagement, and productivity. The impact of rising healthcare coverage costs, more frequent absences, lower productivity, and potentially higher turnover rates can be staggering.
For many organizations, these dire consequences may not seem like an immediate threat. Regardless, employers play a crucial role in mitigating these issues to ensure a vibrant, healthy labor force in the future.
7 Ways Employers Can Help Employees Living in Maternity Care Deserts
Maternity care issues seem like a massive, complex challenge. What can employers do that will actually make a difference? Here are some options that organizations can champion. One or more of these can lead to positive outcomes for individuals and for your company, as well as for the community at-large:
1. Comprehensive Maternity Care Support
The benefits of providing extensive maternity care are likely to outweigh the costs. This is why you’ll want to conduct a thoughtful analysis that considers both tangible and intangible factors. Consider what it will take to cover everything from prenatal to postnatal care, including financial and logistical support for services outside employees’ local areas. To get this right, you may find it advantageous to talk with brokers or expert consultants who can help you weigh various options — especially if you have employees who are currently struggling to find care.
2. Support Telehealth Services
Telehealth proved its utility during the pandemic. However, it remains a healthcare lifeline for people who live in remote areas, for people with disabilities, and for those with limited access to transportation. You’ll want to integrate these services into your health plans so employees don’t need to travel extensively when they need to consult with medical specialists. Although telehealth alone is not a comprehensive solution, it can reduce the burden of critical care.
3. Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexibility is crucial for expectant mothers in general, but it’s especially important for employees who need to travel further to get the care they need. It helps to offer telecommuting, flexible schedules, and part-time work options that can accommodate medical needs, while reducing unnecessary stress beyond standard legal obligations.
4. Maternity Concierge Services
These types of services help employees navigate healthcare options and manage maternity-related administrative tasks, like scheduling appointments and understanding benefits. This service can be a literal lifesaver, because regular medical check-ins, both pre- and post-natal, are critical to detecting, managing, and resolving health challenges appropriately.
5. Lifestyle Spending Accounts (LSAs)
LSAs are employer-funded accounts that employees can use for various wellness needs, including expenses not covered by traditional health insurance, such as doula services or travel for medical care. This can be critical for the unpredictable needs of employees in maternity care deserts who may need to choose different types of support. For example, some may need coverage to treat postpartum depression and anxiety. Some may need access to community-based organizations that offer resources and support before, during, and after labor and delivery. Others may need other specialized services that aren’t available in their area. LSA funds make it easier to provide more personalized resources.
6. Educational Programs
Educating employees about maternity care empowers them to make informed health decisions. This kind of education is critical for people in maternity care deserts. Programs can cover topics like nutrition during pregnancy, maternal self-care practices, how to find medical support in areas with fewer options, and how to plan for the unexpected if nearby care is unavailable.
7. Advocacy and Policy Change
While this may make some employers uncomfortable, you may want to advocate for legislative changes that improve maternity care access. For example, you could proactively support extended postpartum Medicaid coverage or increased funding for maternal health programs. By reaching out to make lawmakers aware of the impact their agenda has on individuals, communities, and organizations, you can make a difference. What’s more, when you send a message to government decision-makers, you’re also telling existing employees and the broader community that you’re invested in their wellbeing.
By adopting some of these measures, you can provide much-needed practical assistance to individuals during a critical time in their lives, and at the same time help solve this massive healthcare challenge. It might feel like a small contribution, but each employer that takes a proactive stance promotes healthier outcomes for individual employees, their families, their communities, and our nation, as a whole.
How Employers Can Make a Meaningful Impact
The deepening maternal health crisis, particularly in maternity care deserts, requires action not only from healthcare providers but also from employers. By committing to a relevant course of action, companies can greatly influence the health outcomes for expectant mothers and establish better standards for corporate responsibility in public health.
Employers’ proactive efforts can drive the systemic changes needed to make maternity care accessible and fair for all women, regardless of their location or socio-economic status. By dedicating resources to these initiatives, we’re investing in a healthier future for our workforce and society, while emphasizing the crucial roles that community and corporations play in supporting stronger families.
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