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Maternity care access steadily worsening

Axios · · 391 words · By Caitlin Owens
Maternal Health Crisis Healthcare Accessibility Socioeconomic Disparities

The article discusses a March of Dimes report highlighting the prevalence of 'maternity care deserts' in the U.S., where many counties lack obstetric care. It attributes these shortages to economic factors, insurance reimbursement rates, and legal restrictions on midwives, as well as political impacts in certain states.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://axios.com/2024/09/11/maternity-care-deserts-worsening-2024

analyticsAnalysis

20%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 90%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyDetected Techniques

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

8 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

help Insufficient Evidence 3
info Single Source 3
check_circle Corroborated 2
help
“Half of U.S. counties don't have a hospital that provides obstetric care”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The claim states 'half' (50%) of U.S. counties lack a hospital providing obstetric care. However, multiple independent sources (BMJ, U.S. News, NPR) explicitly state that approximately 35% (or 'more than a third') of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts. 35% is significantly different from 50%.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — As more hospitals eliminate obstetric services due to financial challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors, the number of maternity care deserts in the United States will “steadily …
https://www.tampabay28.com/news/national-news/1-in-3-u-s-cou…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — More than a third of the 3143 counties in the US are maternity “deserts” without a hospital or birth centre that offers obstetric care and without any obstetric providers—and the situation is getting …
https://www.bmj.com/content/379/bmj.o2487
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Approximately 35% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts. This means that in 1,104 U.S. counties, there is not a single birthing facility or obstetric clinician.
https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/article…
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“more than a third lack a single obstetric clinician, according to a new report by March of Dimes”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (BMJ, U.S. News, NPR) confirm that more than a third (approximately 35%) of U.S. counties lack both a birthing facility and an obstetric clinician, aligning with the March of Dimes report mentioned in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Examples of more in a Sentence Adjective I felt more pain after the procedure, not less. The new engine has even more power. You like more sugar in your tea than I do.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/more
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — More or less means ‘mostly’, ‘nearly’ or ‘approximately’. We use it in mid position (between the subject and main verb, or after the modal verb or first auxiliary verb, or after be as a main verb).
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/more
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — You use more to indicate that there is a greater amount of something than before or than average, or than something else. You can use 'a little', 'a lot ', 'a bit ', ' far ', and 'much' in front of mo…
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/more
info
“America's maternal mortality rate is more than double that of some other high-income countries”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of Wikipedia entries for the letter 'U' and its variations, which are completely irrelevant to maternal mortality rates.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — U (minuscule: u) is the twenty-first letter and the fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet and the alphabets of other western European languages and others world…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ü (minuscule: ü) is a Latin script character composed of the letter U and the diaeresis diacritical mark.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ü
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Ú (minuscule: ú), known as U-acute, is a Latin-script character composed of the letter U and an acute accent. It is found in the Czech, Dobrujan Tatar, Faroese, Hungarian, Icelandic, Karakalpak and Sl…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ú
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“the infant mortality rate recently rose for the first time in two decades”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim.
help
“In 2021 and 2022, at least 107 obstetric units around the country closed, per the report”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided for this claim.
info
“Medicaid... covered 41% of births in 2022”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence describes what Medicaid is and how to apply for it, but does not provide the specific percentage of births covered in 2022.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid
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web search NEUTRAL — If you want to apply for medical assistance only, please print out the application below: Medical Only Application – English Medical Only Application – Spanish If you want to apply for Nursing Home Me…
https://medicaid.utah.gov/apply-medicaid/
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web search NEUTRAL — CMCS serves as the focal point for all national programs relating to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
https://www.medicaid.gov/
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“The report found that 35% of counties, which are home to more than 2.3 million women of reproductive age, don't have a single birthing facility or obstetric clinician”
CORROBORATED
Three independent sources (NPR, a report summary, and a March of Dimes report summary) confirm that 35% of U.S. counties are maternity care deserts and that these counties are home to more than 2.3 million women of reproductive age.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A March of Dimes report finds that more than 35% of counties U.S. have no OBGYN or hospital that delivers babies. Some patients must drive more than an hour to seek prenatal care.
https://www.npr.org/2024/09/10/nx-s1-5101902/35-of-u-s-count…
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web search NEUTRAL — These 1,104 counties are home to more than 2.3 million women of reproductive age and more than 150,000 babies were birthed by women living in a maternity care desert. The report underscores the urgent…
https://www.risehealth.org/insights-articles/article/report-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Over 35% of counties in the US are maternity care deserts and are home to more than 2.3 million women of reproductive age and 150,000 babies were born to birthing people living there.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/march-of-dimes-2024…
info
“23 states have laws restricting how much care [midwives] can provide”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence consists of general facts about the number 23 and the phrase '23 skidoo', which are irrelevant to laws restricting midwife care.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 23 skidoo (phrase) (sometimes 23 skiddoo) is an American slang phrase popularized during the early 20th century. 23 skidoo has been described as "perhaps the first truly national fad expression and on…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_(number)
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2023 · If you add up the four digits of 1967, the year that Nirvana co-founder Kurt Cobain was born, they come to 23 – which is also the sum of the four digits for 1994, the year in which he di…
https://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-m…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 21, 2025 · Discover 40 intriguing facts about the movie "The Number 23" and uncover the mysteries behind Jim Carrey's psychological thriller.
https://facts.net/movie/40-facts-about-the-number-23/
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.