ACHI ANALYSIS SHOWS WHO IS DELIVERING BABIES IN ARKANSAS

LITTLE ROCK ― A new analysis by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement provides a comprehensive look at delivering providers in Arkansas, including physicians and non-physician healthcare professionals.

ACHI analyzed birth records and physician licensure records to obtain a profile of delivering providers in the state as part of a continuing focus on maternal health. The analysis includes privately insured, Medicaid-covered and self-paid deliveries, and it shows how delivering providers in Arkansas break down by provider type, age, sex, and race and ethnicity.

“As we work with various stakeholders across the state to address the maternal health crisis impacting our moms and their babies, it is important that we have clear information about who is delivering babies in Arkansas,” said ACHI President and CEO Dr. Joe Thompson. “Understanding the current landscape will help us make informed decisions to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.”

Among the findings:

• Of the 32,439 deliveries that occurred in Arkansas in 2022, 98.7% were performed by physicians.

• The remaining 1.3% of deliveries were performed by lay midwives, certified midwives, or other healthcare professionals. The analysis excludes the small number of deliveries performed by non-healthcare professionals.

• Of the 347 delivering providers in Arkansas in 2022, 88.5% were physicians, 7.2% were lay midwives, 1.7% were certified midwives, and 2.6% were other healthcare professionals.

• Of the 307 physicians who performed deliveries in Arkansas in 2022, 81.8% were OB-GYNs, 12.7% were family medicine physicians, and 5.5% were physicians with other or unknown specialties.

• Of the delivering physicians for whom demographic information was available, 146 were male and 130 were female. However, among physicians under age 50, 102 were female and only 53 were male.

• Of the delivering physicians for whom demographic information was available, 87.7% were White, 5.8% were Black, 4% were Asian, 1.8% were Hispanic, and 0.7% were American Indian/Alaskan Native.

“Our analysis produced a number of interesting findings,” Thompson said. “For instance, we found that while OB-GYNs perform the vast majority of deliveries in the state, family physicians, certified midwives and lay midwives play an important role in expanding access to delivery services.”

An infographic containing findings from the analysis is available on ACHI’s website.

ACHI is a nonpartisan, independent health policy center that serves as a catalyst for improving the health of all Arkansans through evidence-based research, public issue advocacy, and collaborative program development.