Due to a nationwide decline in maternal care services, stemming from a shortage of providers, many mothers are unable to receive care until they’re actually having their babies. However, following a growing trend in health-care services, maternity care is gaining more remote options to bridge the gap between patients and the increasingly out-of-reach doctor’s office.
“There’s a lack of maternal care across the nation, but especially here in Santa Barbara,” said Dr. Susanne Ramos, a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist (OB/GYN) who has practiced in Santa Barbara for more than 20 years.
A divide between patients and specialized health-care facilities — creating maternity care deserts — exposes women to elevated risk of undiagnosed and untreated mental-health issues such as depression and anxiety, as well as severe obstetric complications such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia and eclampsia), hemorrhaging, and sepsis.