Publication Date: August 28th, 2025
Publication Type: Policy Brief
Topic(s): Health Disparities and Health Equity, Healthcare Access, Hospitals and Clinics, Maternal Health, Women
Author(s): Interrante JD, Busse CE, Fritz AH, Handley SC, and Kozhimannil KB
There are important rural/urban differences in health and health care access and utilization across the lifespan, including during the reproductive years. Access to maternity care has been declining in rural communities, and rural residents face elevated risks of maternal morbidity and mortality. More than half of maternal deaths in the United States occur in the postpartum year. Research and policy around post-partum health – including both the social determinants of health and access to medical care during the postpartum period – must account for differences between rural and urban residents.
The goal of this analysis was to describe rural/urban differences in health, health care utilization, and barriers to care for reproductive-age females, with specific focus on those who are parents of young children (ages 1-4) and those who are postpartum (gave birth in the last year).