Maternal health is a key pillar of public health, yet in rural Pennsylvania, expectant mothers face unique challenges that contribute to disparities in care and outcomes. While Pennsylvania does have world-class urban hospitals and medical research centers, the reality for women in rural areas is often one of limited access, resource shortages, and heightened health risks.
According to a 2025 report from the March of Dimes, Pennsylvania’s rural counties, which are home to more than a quarter of the state’s population, consistently have worse maternal health outcomes compared to their urban counterparts. Maternal mortality rates in rural communities are significantly higher, and rates of complications such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum depression are also elevated.
One of the most critical factors contributing to maternal health disparities in rural Pennsylvania is access to quality care. Health care providers are concentrated in metropolitan areas, leaving rural clinics short-staffed and unable to offer consistent, comprehensive prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care. Many rural counties lack hospitals with obstetric units; in fact, over the past decade, at least a dozen rural hospitals in the state have either closed their maternity wards or shut down altogether, compounding the problem.
This is part of how Pennsylvania ended up with six counties that are maternal health deserts. March of Dimes considers a maternal health desert to be “a hospital or birth center offering obstetric care, but without any obstetric clinicians.” The organization classifies an additional 11 counties where moms have low to moderate access to care. All 17 of these counties are rural. Expectant mothers living in these counties have to travel significant distances to receive care.
For women without reliable transportation or stable support systems, this can result in delayed or missed prenatal appointments, increased anxiety, and even unplanned home or roadside births.
In addition to geographic isolation, socioeconomic challenges further widen the gap in maternal health care. Rural Pennsylvania has higher rates of poverty, lower average educational attainment, and fewer employment opportunities than the Commonwealth’s urban centers.
Additionally, people in rural communities often struggle with access to healthy food, reliable housing, and adequate mental health support. The opioid crisis, which has heavily impacted parts of rural Pennsylvania, introduces further pregnancy complications, increasing rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome and placing additional strain on under-resourced local health systems.
To address disparities in maternal healthcare in rural Pennsylvania, AmeriHealth Caritas recently held a community baby shower in Williamsport. Many maternal-health-related organizations, along with representatives from social service agencies relevant to new and expecting mothers, came together at the River Valley Regional YMCA.
This was one of 14 such events the Medicaid managed care organization held around the Commonwealth this year, providing information about health resources, early education, and other maternal services so that children and families have their greatest chance to lead healthy, happy lives.
In addition to community baby showers, AmeriHealth Caritas has a program called Bright Start®, which aims to improve prenatal care for pregnant members. It promotes healthy behaviors and controlling risk factors.
Alongside community-based agencies that specialize in maternal-child health, Bright Start® encourages members to seek care and follow prenatal recommendations.
Case Managers also play a hands-on role in coordinating and facilitating care with the members’ physicians and home health care agencies. They help ensure member follow-up with medical appointments and identify potential barriers to care.
The maternal health care disparities in rural Pennsylvania are profound, but not insurmountable. By addressing these challenges with a holistic approach that prioritizes the health of mothers and infants, Pennsylvania can take meaningful steps toward ensuring that every woman, regardless of where she lives, has the support and care she needs for a healthy pregnancy and a strong start for her child.
For more information about the Bright Start program, please call 1-877-364-6797.
