Rural hospital maternity unit closures increase in 2025

The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform says 27 rural hospitals have shuttered or plan to close their labor and delivery units in 2025 compared with 21 in 2024, bringing total closures since 2020 to 116. In a report, the center says more women and babies in rural communities will die unnecessarily until policymakers address the crisis. Only 950 rural hospitals, or 41% of the country’s 2,396 rural hospitals, offer labor and delivery services. Of these hospitals, 127 are at risk of closing their services based on their negative total margins and loss on all patient services for the past two years. When nearby hospitals do not offer labor and delivery services, pregnant women must drive longer distances, increasing the risk of complications. (Fierce Healthcare article, 11/11/25)