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Protect Access to Reproductive Health Care

Rural women are more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications. Black, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian Native women face racial disparities that cause even higher pregnancy-related mortality rates. 

We travel longer distances for all types of medical care, and many rural counties don’t have a practicing OB-GYN, labor and delivery services, or even a health care facility. For this reason, restrictions that limit access to a full range of reproductive health care are particularly burdensome to rural women, creating negative health and economic consequences for women and their families.

  • Support access and funding to health care facilities, birthing centers, midwifery practices, postpartum care, and the full range of reproductive care. Reduce the barriers that require additional travel and delays in treatment, enable virtual appointments, and ensure prescriptions by mail.1
  • The government should not prevent a woman from making health care and abortion decisions.
    • The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, opening the door for state governments to infringe on personal freedom and the ability to make health care decisions. Voters in several states responded by passing ballot measures to protect reproductive health care decisions.
  • Fund workforce development programs for midwives, doulas, nurse practitioners, and community health workers through federal grants to build a sustainable rural reproductive health workforce.

For more on health care, see Affordable Prescription Drugs and Health Care Access.

Notes

  1. The Women’s Health Protection Act prohibits unnecessary medical visits that create barriers to abortion access as well as cumbersome credentialing for providing abortion services.