Maternity Care Closures Threaten Rural Healthcare
The closure of a maternity ward in 2023 in Baker City, Oregon, has highlighted a growing healthcare problem. For residents like Shyanne McCoy, obtaining safe prenatal and birthing services suddenly became an ordeal – one that involved a perilous 45-mile drive over a mountain pass. When complications arose during her pregnancy, McCoy elected to transfer to a hospital in Boise, Idaho, two hours away to secure the necessary care.
Disparities in Rural Healthcare Access
Months before the maternity ward closure, state representatives proposed launching two mobile reproductive health clinics in rural locations. However, residents continue to struggle in getting adequate maternity care in Baker City, despite Oregon being one of the country’s most progressive states on abortion access. The proposed inclusion of abortion services in these mobile clinics sparked backlash, leading to the proposal’s eventual removal from legislative discussions. As a result, Baker City saw no enhancements to both the state-funded maternity care or abortion options.
The Wider Rural Healthcare Struggle
As of 2022, over half of rural hospitals had shut down their obstetrics units. The implications of these closures for young women – the group most in need of prenatal care – are severe. The farther a patient lives from obstetric care facilities, the higher the likelihood of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions for the baby. Access to all types of reproductive healthcare, especially for those in ‘maternity care deserts,’ remains limited, even in states where abortion is legally protected.
Public Perception and Medical Shortfalls
Locals, from the moderate timber company owner to the liberal school board member, simultaneously expressed apathy towards the provision of abortion services and concern over inadequate access to maternity care. Even Baker County Health Department representatives conceded the need for a broader spectrum of health care services, from surgeons to ICU units, ranked higher than abortion services.
Concern from Medical Practitioners
In light of local opinion and the fundamental need for various healthcare options, medical practitioners are also voicing their concerns. Family medicine practitioner, Nathan Defrees, noted the need for increased anonymity for physicians providing abortion services, and the struggle of maintaining medical expertise due to constraints on abortion.
Abortion Care Condensed in Fewer Locations
Despite the relatively low request for abortions in Baker County, Defrees said that the overturning of Roe v. Wade has made obtaining an abortion easier. A new Planned Parenthood clinic in neighboring Ontario, intended primarily to cater to Boise’s population, offered a closer alternative for people in rural eastern Oregon.
Yet, the impact of the loss of regional expertise in fetal medicine due to abortion restrictions is felt even in little Baker City. Pregnant women seeking terminations for medical reasons now find themselves with even fewer local options. As Boise shuts its doors to these patients, their treatment options lie further away – a 300-mile drive to Portland. This lack of access to vital maternal healthcare paints a bleak picture for rural residents. Defrees described the current situation in solemn words, “It’s a lot scarier to be pregnant now in Baker City than it ever has been.”
In conclusion, in rural areas like Baker City, the conversation on abortion and maternity services remains multifaceted. Progressive laws are limited in front of regional and logistical challenges. Urban legislators and rural residents seem to clash on prioritizing needs, and the expansion of preventative services is at stake. Regardless of the stance on abortion access, the undeniable crisis lies in the dwindling availability of essential maternal health services, placing the health of rural women and their babies at risk.