DEMOPOLIS, Ala. (WSFA) – For some families in Alabama’s Black Belt, access to maternity care is not just limited; it can mean a drive of up to 90 minutes to reach a doctor who can deliver a baby.

The issue is drawing concern from health leaders across west Alabama, who say rural hospitals are being forced to make difficult financial decisions that can leave expectant mothers traveling long distances for care during one of the most critical moments of their lives.

Congresswoman Terri Sewell says the problem reflects a broader strain on rural health care in Alabama.

“We know that many of the hospitals have closed their OB wing as a first sign of keeping their hospital open,” Sewell said. “And at a time like that to have to drive an hour and a half to have a baby is not ideal.”

That concern is playing out in real time in some Black Belt communities.

Alan Jordan, CEO of Grove Hill Rural Emergency Hospital, said after his hospital closed labor and delivery services, mothers in that area were left with few nearby options.

“Because we closed labor and delivery from our doors, it’s 90 minutes in any direction, north, south, east, or west, for an expecting mother to go, be able to have a physician that’s available that can deliver a baby for us in Grove Hill,” Jordan said.

Jordan said the decision was not made lightly.

He said hospital leaders knew labor and delivery services were important, but the financial strain had pushed the hospital to a breaking point. In the end, he said leaders felt they had to preserve the rest of the hospital so it could still serve the community during heart attacks, strokes, car crashes and other emergencies.

The problem, leaders say, is bigger than one hospital.

Across rural Alabama, hospitals are facing a combination of low reimbursement rates, staffing shortages and rising costs. Whitfield Regional Hospital CEO Doug Brewer said rural facilities are often reimbursed at lower rates while still having to pay more to recruit specialists and staff into underserved communities.

Sewell says that financial pressure is part of why rural hospitals continue to struggle to keep key services in place.

She pointed to federal efforts aimed at helping hospitals stay open, including legislation designed to address reimbursement disparities and transformation funding meant to support struggling rural facilities. But even with those efforts, the gap in maternity care remains a reality for many families.

The concern is especially serious in Alabama, where maternal health disparities remain stark.

State health data shows Black women in Alabama face significantly higher pregnancy-related mortality rates than White women, underscoring concerns about access, distance and delayed care in underserved communities.

For families in the Black Belt, the issue goes far beyond convenience.

It is about whether mothers can get care in time, whether that care is available close to home, and what happens when the nearest delivery option is not minutes away, but an hour and a half down the road.

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