prenatal care

A new law makes Florida the first state to permit cesarean sections in "advanced birth centers." Some health experts are leery even though many hospitals have closed maternity wards.

Many hospitals are shuttering their obstetrics units because insurance and Medicaid aren't reimbursing enough to cover the cost of births, the report notes.

The study presents data on several key factors including levels of maternity care access and maternity care deserts by county, distance to birthing hospitals and availability of family planning services.

Florida is one of only three states where county public health departments employ obstetricians for pregnant women. It’s a legacy of the 1990s, when...