Does Minnesota have counties that are maternity care deserts?

Yes.

Maternity health care deserts – regions with no obstetric clinicians or birthing facilities – exist in nearly every state in the U.S., including Minnesota. They are typically associated with poorer maternal and infant health and higher mortality risks.

Twenty-four Minnesota counties are considered maternity care deserts, including Lake and Cook in the northeast, and several that include tribal lands, including Mahnomen and Clearwater. About 64,000 Minnesota women between the ages of 15 and 44 live in maternity care deserts, with about 4,000 births in these regions annually.

Nationwide, about 35% of counties, and 58% o...

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