Geographic Disparities Where you live can also make a big difference in maternal health. For starters, there might not be a nearby hospital with specialized maternity services, meaning they have to travel long distances for care. In emergencies, this delay can be life- threatening. Rural areas also often suffer from a shortage of healthcare professionals, making it tough to get timely and adequate care. The Role of Healthcare Access and Quality Access to healthcare and the quality of that care are crucial. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same access to prenatal, emergency obstetric, and postpartum care. Even when they do, the quality can vary a lot. Biases in the healthcare system can lead to underestimating pain, dismissing symptoms, and not treating complications properly, especially in minority women. Addressing the Disparities So, what can we do about these disparities? Here are a few ideas: Improving Access to Care: Expanding Medicaid to cover more maternal health programs, and making sure everyone has access to affordable healthcare. Last year, due to a lot of incredible advocacy efforts, Nevada now provides Medicaid coverage for one year postpartum.
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