Nearly half of Ohio counties lack labor and delivery services, March of Dimes report finds

Nearly half of Ohio’s 88 counties do not have a hospital or birth center that offers labor and delivery services, according to a new March of Dimes report (Source: “43% of Ohio counties lack labor and delivery services for pregnant women, report says,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Aug. 17).
 
The report found that in 43.2% of counties, pregnant women often have to travel farther for care. The problem is even more pronounced in rural areas, where 80% of counties have no labor and delivery facility.
 
The report from the nonprofit organization also found that one in five Ohio counties are considered maternity care deserts, where local access to prenatal, postpartum and maternal health services is limited, affecting roughly 78,000 women and 5,000 births in the state annually.