Limited coverage: our sources published fewer than three Wyoming stories a week over the last 30 days. We are adding sources, so check back.
A growing number of states have added doula services to Medicaid coverage, but Wyoming has not followed suit, according to this report. Doulas are not medically trained but provide emotional support, education, and advocacy before, during, and after childbirth, and supporters argue they could help close maternal care gaps in underserved areas.
A new report finds that deliveries at midwife-run birth centers for low-risk pregnancies have tripled over the past 20 years, with notable growth in rural Western states. These freestanding centers offer an alternative to hospital labor and delivery units, typically serving patients with low-risk pregnancies who want a less medicalized birth experience. The report highlights their particular popularity in rural areas, where hospital obstetric units have been closing. Growth trends like this carry implications for state maternal health policy and access planning, especially in rural communities facing shrinking hospital-based delivery options.
Why it mattersState Medicaid agencies covering a large share of rural births need to track birth center capacity and reimbursement policy as hospital obstetric units close and low-risk deliveries shift to freestanding midwife-led settings.
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