About a third of New Mexico’s counties are considered “obstetric deserts” – The Tri-City Record
A single room in a maternity ward at a Mississippi hospital on Oct. 11, 2012. Thirty-three percent of the state’s counties are considered “birthing places,” according to the University of New Mexico’s College of Population Health. Rogelio V. Solis/AP File Photo
March of Dimes assumes San Juan County has unrestricted access
New Mexico has a shortage of health workers and access to medical care, including obstetric care, is difficult.
According to the University of New Mexico’s College of Population Health, 33% of the state’s counties are considered “obstetric deserts,” with little or no access to obstetric care.
For a single mother in Las Vegas, this means having to travel several hours each way for doctor’s appointments for both herself and her newborn baby.
“It’s hard having kids here in Vegas. My doctor had to help me schedule all of my doctor’s appointments during my pregnancy so I could take time off,” she told a member of the College of Population Health.
She also had to find childcare for her other children while she attended her doctor’s appointments.
Alta Vista Regional Hospital in Las Vegas closed its maternity ward in 2022 due to a shortage of nursing staff.
According to a 2023 report by the March of Dimes in New Mexico, women in the counties with the longest drive times drove an average of up to 97.1 miles to the nearest maternity hospital. About 18% of New Mexico residents do not have a maternity hospital within 30 minutes of their home, which is higher than the national percentage of nearly 10% of the population.
“The lack of obstetric care is due to several factors, including New Mexico’s geographic size, the demanding work schedules of health care providers, and the need for infrastructure development,” says the university’s Division of Population Health. “In rural areas, professional isolation and limited health care development further exacerbate the problem.”
Lack of prenatal care can lead to pregnancy complications, birth complications for mother and baby, and even death.
The New Mexico Maternal Mortality Review Committee reported to state lawmakers in late 2023 that maternal deaths in the state remained largely preventable and far above national rates.
The March of Dimes report suggested that states like New Mexico should expand Medicaid coverage, adopt a midwifery care model, implement reimbursement for doula care, and increase the availability of telemedicine across the state to cover a wider range of specialties.
The report pointed to a program currently underway in the northeastern part of the state called New Mexico Rural Obstetric Access & Maternal Service. The program virtually connects northern New Mexico residents with providers for prenatal care and postnatal support.
However, broadband access is a problem in many of the state’s rural communities, which may delay the adoption of such technology, according to the UNM department.
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