Rural Missouri families face longer drives, riskier births as maternity wards vanish

By: Meg Cunningham

Outlets: Missouri Independent

Published: September 23, 2026

Words: 1,528

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

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Melanie Pierce works with many pregnant women who know they’ll have a long drive ahead of them when labor starts.

One of her jobs as a doula living in Mansfield, Missouri, is helping families answer a question that may not be as fraught for women who live closer to a delivery hospital: When is it time to leave?

Pierce’s clients often call as contractions begin, describing what they’re feeling and asking if they should head …

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