Rural Availability of the Obstetrics & Gynecology Physician Workforce

Women’s and maternal health begins where women live, learn and work. Access to timely and high-quality women’s health and primary care services is also an essential component of a supporting maternal health. According to the March of Dimes, Greenlee and La Paz counties are maternal care deserts and Cochise, Graham Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties have limited access to maternal care. Women in rural Arizona face barriers to maternal health care including a lower ratio of Ob-gyn providers per population. In general, women in rural areas have additional barriers like longer drive-times and fewer facilities offering obstetric services.