OBHG joins March of Dimes in raising awareness of maternal health access issues as new report finds one in three U.S. counties remains a maternity care desert
GREENVILLE, S.C., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG), the nation’s largest provider of women’s health solutions, today announced a new two-year partnership with March of Dimes, the nation’s leading nonprofit fighting for the health of all moms and babies, focused on raising awareness of maternity care access challenges and advancing practical approaches to help hospitals preserve and expand obstetric services nationwide.
As part of the collaboration, OBHG is supporting March of Dimes’ “Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.” (2026 report), released today.
Despite calls for change, this report shows that that amount of maternity care deserts in the U.S. has remained virtually unchanged since 2016. As part of the analysis, this year’s report highlighted the importance of clinician availability as a critical driver of access. More than 90% of counties that lost maternity care access between 2016 and 2024 also had fewer obstetric clinicians. Meanwhile, counties who gained access experienced improvements in clinician availability largely associated with increases in the number of OB-GYNs and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs).
“March of Dimes’ report confirms what hospitals and families are experiencing every day. Reliable obstetric care is becoming harder to sustain in too many communities,” said Mark N. Simon, M.D., MMM, chief medical officer at OBHG. “There is no single solution, but flexible care and workforce models that bring physicians and CNMs together as partners can help hospitals support local providers, maintain services, and respond safely when emergencies occur. Through this partnership, we hope to bring lessons from hospitals on the ground to advance approaches that improve access and outcomes.”
OBHG prioritizes the distinct value of CNMs through collaborative physician and nurse-midwife partnerships, as well as other alternative care models. Working with hospitals and health systems of all sizes, OBHG tailors its care models to local needs and available resources. Its comprehensive women’s health solutions include 24/7 OB hospitalist programs, flexible Maternal Health Access Solutions for rural and underserved areas, and telehealth maternal-fetal medicine services through Obtelecare, expanding expertise to communities where specialty care may be limited.
“Our 2026 report shows that millions of women and babies still face significant barriers, and continued closures threaten to widen those gaps,” said Cindy Rahman, president and chief executive officer at March of Dimes. “Addressing this crisis requires strong collaboration. Through this new partnership, we’re combining March of Dimes’ research, advocacy, and convening expertise with OBHG’s deep on-the-ground experience supporting hospitals and health systems to elevate practical, evidence-based approaches that protect and expand care for mothers and babies.”
Across more than 300 hospitals and health systems in 42 states, OBHG brings physicians, CNMs, and other maternal health clinicians to expand workforce capacity, strengthen continuity of care, keep obstetric services available locally, and improve outcomes for both mothers and their babies. OBHG’s 2025 Maternal Health Impact Report documented 36,278 prenatal visits for patients in maternity care deserts and more than 3,000 deliveries supported in high-need communities between August 2024 and July 2025.
As hospitals work to preserve access to maternity care amid persistent workforce shortages, clinician sustainability has become an increasingly important part of the conversation. “The maternity care workforce shortage goes beyond just the number of incoming clinicians. Many providers face burnout and unsustainable workloads which also contributes to clinician availability,” said Lisa A. Bukovac, D.O., FACOOG., chief clinical officer at OBHG. “At OBHG, we see firsthand how OB hospitalist-based care models give clinicians greater control over their schedules while helping ease the burden on community physicians. Creating that kind of work-life balance is essential to recruiting and retaining clinicians and helping hospitals keep maternity services available close to home.”
During the two-year collaboration, March of Dimes and OBHG will partner to address barriers to maternity care and advance sustainable, scalable solutions that strengthen access across communities. The full report, independently developed by March of Dimes, is available at marchofdimes.org/mcdr.
About Ob Hospitalist Group
Ob Hospitalist Group (OBHG) is the nation’s largest provider of women’s health solutions, offering expert obstetric care through OB hospitalist programs, Maternal Health Access Solutions and its maternal-fetal telemedicine platform, Obtelecare. OBHG partners with more than 300 hospitals across 42 states and employs over 2,000 physicians and certified nurse-midwives. Learn more at obhg.com.
About March of Dimes
March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. The organization advances research, education, advocacy, programs and services designed to give every family the strongest possible start. Since 1938, March of Dimes has worked to address preventable maternal and infant health risks, preterm birth, infant death and inequities in outcomes. Learn more at marchofdimes.org.
Media contact:
Megan Vera Weaklend
SVP, Marketing & Customer Experience
530.391.3333
mveraweaklend@obhg.com
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SOURCE Ob Hospitalist Group
