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United States Value:
Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
Appears In:
Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
U.S. HHS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System
Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
U.S. HHS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System
US Value: 49.5
Top State(s): Alaska: 103.1
Bottom State(s): Arkansas: 30.6
Definition: Number of obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives per 100,000 females ages 15 and older
Data Source and Years: U.S. HHS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, September 2021
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. HHS, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2023.
Women’s health providers — including obstetricians, gynecologists and midwives — address reproductive health such as pregnancy, contraception (birth control) and menopause, as well as long-term health and wellness. They provide important preventive health services for women of reproductive age, including:
Moreover, women’s health providers give prenatal care during pregnancy. They provide tailored care based on the pregnant person’s medical needs and concerns and monitor for high-risk pregnancy conditions. Of note, many women of reproductive age choose to see a family or internal medicine doctor for well-woman visits rather than an obstetrician or gynecologist.
The number of women’s health providers is higher in urban areas compared with rural areas.
Strategies to increase access to, and use of, women’s health providers include:
Healthy People 2030 does not specifically address increasing the number of women’s health providers but has several goals related to cancer screening, family planning, pregnancy and childbirth, including increasing the proportion of pregnant women who receive early and adequate prenatal care and reducing preterm births.
“ACOG Committee Opinion No. 586: Health Disparities in Rural Women.” 2014. Obstetrics & Gynecology 123 (2): 384–88. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.0000443278.06393.d6.
“Improving Access to Maternal Health Care in Rural Communities.” 2019. Issue Brief. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/OMH/equity-initiatives/rural-health/09032019-Maternal-Health-Care-in-Rural-Communities.pdf.
Tikkanen, Roosa, Munira Z. Gunja, Molly FitzGerald, and Laurie Zephyrin. 2020. “Maternal Mortality and Maternity Care in the United States Compared to 10 Other Developed Countries.” The Commonwealth Fund. https://doi.org/10.26099/411v-9255.
Wyn, Roberta, Victoria Ojeda, Usha Ranji, and Alina Salganicoff. 2004. “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Women’s Health Coverage and Access To Care: Findings from the 2001 Kaiser Women’s Health Survey.” Issue Brief. KFF. https://www.kff.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-women-s-health-coverage-and-access-to-care.pdf.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.