| The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) conclude that if EC were available to all women in the U.S., 1.2M unintended pregnancies could be avoided and the annual number of abortions would be reduced by 800,000. |
| Advancing women's health by creating an environment in which the public and elected officials confidently support women's health policy. |
|
|  | Resources for Rural Communities |
| | | | | |
| United for Access and Equity | | | Rural women’s health is an infinitely broad topic. Women’s health in rural areas affects everything in their environment from their families to their economies and vice versa. |
|
| | | | There are over 65 million Americans living in rural areas and roughly half are women. A variety of factors, including an older population, a limited supply of health care providers, and further distances from health care resources may contribute to special health concerns for people in non-metro areas. Access to health care and social services are critical issues for rural women. |
|
|
| What challenges do rural women face related to health care? | | A number of state-based studies have found increased rates in infant mortality among rural residents as compared to urban and suburban residents. Studies have also shown that the infant mortality rate increases with the more rural an area becomes. This could be due to a number of reasons, including:
More non-metropolitan than suburban women receiving delayed or no prenatal care, and rural women receiving less adequate care when it is available. This is a major concern in rural areas as risk factors for infant death include delayed or no prenatal care, contributing to a higher rate of infant mortality in rural areas.
More mothers under age 20 or over age 40. Teen pregnancy rates are often higher in rural areas and the population is aging at a disproportional rate in rural areas as compared to the rest of the United States.
Higher rates of maternal smoking during pregnancy in rural areas.
More than three previous births, which is also related to poverty.
Lack of available local prenatal and obstetrical care in rural areas has been reported to be associated with higher rates of pre-term delivery, infant mortality, and complications during delivery. Rural mothers who deliver outside their community often experience more complications during delivery than rural mothers who deliver at local facilities. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | |  | | | | | Files on this site may be formatted in PDF files. |
|
|
|
|
|
