Fifty-two maternity wards across the United States have closed since a federal bill overhauling Medicaid was announced in July 2025, and experts expect further closures as the changes take full effect in the new year. Analysis by the non-profit Protect Our Care found a further eight wards have announced upcoming closures, with hospitals in Virginia and Georgia citing the federal policy changes directly.
Fifty-two maternity wards across the United States have closed since a federal bill overhauling Medicaid was announced in July 2025, and experts expect further closures as the changes take full effect in the new year.
Analysis by the non-profit Protect Our Care found 52 maternity wards have closed since the HR1 bill was announced, with a further eight having announced their upcoming closure.
The bill will require many adults covered through Medicaid to meet new work requirements and undergo more frequent eligibility checks, while reducing federal funding for states. Hospitals that have already permanently closed their maternity wards include Centra Southside Community hospital in Virginia and St Mary's Sacred Heart hospital in rural north-east Georgia, which both cited the upcoming federal policy changes as a reason.
"We're deeply concerned that these changes already have and will continue to worsen an already serious maternity care crisis," said Erin Jones, senior director of legislative and strategic counsel of the non-profit March of Dimes. "Reduced funding and restrictions on how states finance Medicaid will put additional pressure on state budgets and hospitals, increasing the risk that communities lose essential maternity services and specialized providers close to home."
Jones said the consequences for maternity care would be particularly devastating in rural communities. March of Dimes has identified 31 at-risk rural hospitals with labour and delivery services, and their possible closure would leave 96 counties without a labour and delivery unit.
About 40% of births in the US are paid for by Medicaid, and the country has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income nations, at 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures.
Benjamin Sommers, a professor of healthcare economics at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said the changes to Medicaid would "absolutely" affect women who are pregnant and specialist pregnancy organisations.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Medicaid pays for about 40% of births in the US, so the funding changes touch a large share of pregnancies nationwide
- Rural communities are most exposed: March of Dimes has identified 31 at-risk rural hospitals, and 96 counties could lose their only labour and delivery unit
- The US already records one of the highest maternal mortality rates among high-income nations, at 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births
Background
The HR1 bill, announced in July 2025, restructures Medicaid, the main public health insurance programme for low-income Americans. It introduces new work requirements and more frequent eligibility checks for many adults covered through the programme, and reduces federal funding available to states. The changes fully come into effect in the new year.
Protect Our Care's analysis counts 52 maternity wards closed since the bill was announced, with eight further closures flagged. At least two hospitals, Centra Southside Community hospital in Virginia and St Mary's Sacred Heart hospital in north-east Georgia, have cited the upcoming federal policy changes as a reason for closing their labour and delivery units.
Key Perspectives
March of Dimes and maternity care advocates: Warn that reduced funding and restrictions on how states finance Medicaid will worsen an already serious maternity care crisis, with rural communities facing the greatest risk of losing essential services.
Hospitals in affected regions: Centra Southside Community hospital and St Mary's Sacred Heart hospital have both cited the upcoming federal policy changes as a direct reason for permanently closing their maternity wards.
Health policy experts: Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health professor Benjamin Sommers said the changes would "absolutely" affect pregnant women and specialist pregnancy organisations.
What to Watch
- Whether the eight announced ward closures proceed and how many further closures are announced before the new year
- The fate of the 31 at-risk rural hospitals identified by March of Dimes, and whether 96 counties lose their only labour and delivery unit
- How state Medicaid budgets absorb reduced federal funding once the bill fully comes into effect