A serious public health concern. That’s what a new study found expecting mothers in small towns could be facing. 

The University of Minnesota-backed study surveyed close to 200 rural hospitals and found reduced obstetrical care posed a significant burden to expecting mothers. 

“I think prenatal care in rural areas is consistently challenging. A lot of that has to do with the number of patients and the number of physicians,” said Dr. Jill Schenk, a Family Physician at Essentia Health’s Moose Lake Clinic. 

According to Shenk, three in ten people live in rural communities but only one in ten physicians do.

More than seven million people in America live in what she called medical deserts.

“Folks don’t have access to certain kinds of health care or all health care. That can be hospitals, emergency rooms, or obstetrics,” said Schenk. 

In rural locations, family physicians are taking on additional duties like delivering babies.

The University of Minnesota study showed that for a quarter of the hospitals surveyed, family physicians were the only option to deliver babies.

According to some experts, the solution could be more training. 

“Right here in Duluth, we have something called an Obstetrics Fellowship. It’s for family physicians who finish their three years of residency but want to pursue additional training so they can perform surgical deliveries such as C-sections,” said Dr. Emily Onello, a UMD Assistant Professor and a family physician. 

According to Onello, in the case of an emergency, quick access to medical care can make all the difference. 

“We really believe that having access to good quality care is really critical for improving outcomes for the mom and the baby,” said Onello.

To watch a video version of the story and read more about the U of M research, follow this link to the KBJR-TV website. https://www.kbjr6.com/2021/12/11/rural-health-crisis-expecting-mothers-face-uphill-battle-find-medic...