Maternal health care is in the spotlight nationally and in California, with a focus on declining birth rates and improving equitable outcomes. A new report from the California Hospital Association (CHA), Maternity Care in California: An Environmental Scan, centers on one aspect of access to maternity services: three factors driving the decline in hospital-based labor and delivery unit availability (low delivery volumes, workforce shortages, and hospital financial instability). The report describes various approaches in California and other states to help policymakers understand that addressing this complex issue requires flexibility and consideration of a community’s unique needs — and that any path forward must prioritize mothers’ and babies’ safety and emphasize high-quality care.
