Regions with no obstetric clinicians or birthing facilities are most prominent in the Midwest and South.
Yes.
There are maternity health care deserts in nearly every state, including South Dakota.
More than one-third of U.S. counties fit the definition of lacking obstetric clinicians or birthing facilities, according to maternal and infant health nonprofit March of Dimes. That number is higher in South Dakota, with 56% of counties without birthing services.
News Watch reported in January 2025 that North Dakota’s rate was highest, with 74% of counties without birthing services.
Residents in U.S. counties with maternity care deserts travel three times longer on average to reach labor and delivery services than residents of full-access counties.
Maternity care deserts are associated with poorer maternal and infant health and higher mortality risks.
Recent cuts to Medicaid are projected to increase the number of maternity care deserts. Medicaid covered 2,800, or 24.5%, of South Dakota births in 2024.
Sources
March of Dimes, Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. | 2026 Report
KFF, 10 Things to Know About Rural Hospitals
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