Eilidh Pederson has had a front-row seat to rural maternal care, giving her a unique lens into the issue. In July, she gave birth at the very hospital she helps lead.
That experience deepened her understanding of the need for access to safe, high-quality maternity care — and how her hospital is meeting that need in ways from which she hopes others can learn.
“Some of the things that make our hospital unique — and how we’re working to preserve rural obstetrical care — really resonated with me as a patient,” she told Becker’s.
Ms. Pederson, CEO of Baldwin-based Western Wisconsin Health, pointed to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform that found less than half of U.S. rural hospitals still offer labor and delivery services. In a dozen states, fewer than one-third do.
That trend aligns with Becker’s reporting: At least 29 hospitals ended maternity care services in 2025 alone.
“I think the myth out there is that labor and delivery is simple — that one doesn’t need a hospital to do this, or that it’s not a service that will go away,” she said. “But in reality, if we don’t make tangible, timely changes, more rural obstetrical departments will close. It’s not an ‘if,’ it’s a ‘when.'”
Her own care experience reinforced the importance of workforce in sustaining services. She described the personalized, proactive support from her midwife — a key strategy her hospital uses.
At Western Wisconsin Health, the C-section rate is just 4%, compared to the national average of 32%. “We strongly believe that has a lot to do with deploying an effective midwifery program,” she said. “It not only lends itself to wonderful patient experiences like I had, but also to incredibly strong quality outcomes that help sustain a rural surgical program.”
She outlined three keys to preserving rural obstetrical care in the U.S.:
1. Quality outcomes and quality care. This includes centering the patient experience and empowering individuals to participate in decisions about their care. Ms. Pederson emphasized the need for training, drills and evidence-based protocols aligned with the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses standards to mitigate risks such as postpartum hemorrhage.
2. A diverse, talented workforce. Midwives are central to the hospital’s model, alongside family medicine physicians trained in obstetrics and C-sections. “Welcoming students and residents into your program to help train the next generation of physicians is also crucial,” she said.
3. Advocacy. Reimbursement remains a major challenge for many rural obstetrical departments. “Determining the most effective way to reform reimbursement and addressing that with local and federal leaders is necessary to preserve rural obstetrical care,” Ms. Pederson said.
Looking ahead, she remains hopeful — particularly with the launch of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. Enacted under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and expanded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the program aims to improve access, quality and infrastructure in rural communities.
“With a big project and a lot of investment coming into rural health, I’m hopeful those funds will be allocated to rural-centric programs that can make a difference,” she said.
