Alabama U.S. Senator Katie Britt joined a group of fellow lawmakers on Wednesday in introducing a bill that would expand maternal healthcare access in rural areas across the country. The legislation, the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, increases overall support for rural health care facilities providing urgent obstetric care to expectant or current mothers.

Britt and Democratic legislator Senator Maggie Hassan, who also helped to introduce the legislation, announced the news.

“I’m proud to join Senator Hassan in leading this important bipartisan legislation to support moms and empower rural hospitals with the resources needed to provide quality care to women in their communities,” said Britt.

“Alabama families depend on local health care providers for a wide range of services and procedures, and the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help ensure that more hardworking people across America can thrive, no matter their zip code.”

Senator Hassan (D-N.H.) agreed that the bill is of extreme importance for women in rural areas.

“Regardless of where they live, expecting moms deserve access to high-quality care to protect their health and the health of their babies – during their pregnancy, during labor, and after they give birth,” Hassan said. “I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation…”

The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help rural hospitals and doctors prepare to handle obstetric emergencies specifically by:

• Creating training programs to help non-specialists respond to emergencies like labor and delivery
• Providing federal grants for rural facilities to buy better equipment to train for and handle these emergencies
• Developing a pilot program for teleconsultation services, so that a doctor at a rural facility helping an expecting or postpartum mother facing an emergency can quickly consult with maternal health care experts

In Alabama, over a third of the state’s 67 counties are classified as “maternity care deserts,” areas without access to birthing facilities or maternity care providers. Last fall, three Alabama hospitals announced closures of their labor and delivery departments, leaving both Shelby and Monroe counties without labor and delivery services.

Additionally, Alabama has the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation at 64.63 deaths per 100,000 births.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.