Maternity Care Access and Infant Mortality

Is limited access to maternity care at the county level associated with increased risk of infant mortality?In this cross-sectional analysis of more than 18 million live births, the adjusted risk of infant mortality among those residing in counties with no access to maternity care was 14% higher than infants residing in counties with at least 2 hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and at least 60 obstetric clinicians per 10 000 births.In this study, infant mortality risk was inversely associated with county-level access to maternity care, with the highest risk in counties with no access.

Corresponding Author: Ripley Lucas, MPH, Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes, 1550 Crystal Dr, Ste 1300, Arlington, VA 22202 (RLucas@marchofdimes.org).

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