Strong protections, but unequal maternal health outcomes in Illinois

Maternal health outcomes in Illinois reflect a mix of strong protections, expanded access, and persistent gaps in care.

While the state has taken steps to improve coverage and support services, access to maternal health care remains uneven in practice. In some areas—particularly rural communities—hospital closures, provider shortages, and long travel distances continue to limit timely care. At the same time, many pregnancy-related complications occur after childbirth, when consistent follow-up care is less reliable.

Differences in care quality compound these challenges. Data from recent maternal mortality reviews show that most pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable—more than 80% nationally and over 90% in Illinois—and that gaps in coordination, access to specialized services, and patient experience, including discrimination, continue to shape outcomes.

As a result, maternal health in Illinois is not defined only by whether services are available, but by whether care is timely, continuous, and effective across different communities.

Why it Matters

In practice, access is not just about whether care exists. It’s about whether people can reach it, receive it in time, and be treated effectively once they do.

Across the state, several gaps continue to shape outcomes:

• In some areas—especially rural communities—hospitals and maternity units are closing, forcing patients to travel longer distances for care.
• Provider shortages mean fewer specialists and limited capacity, even where services exist.
• Many complications arise after childbirth, but follow-up care—particularly for mental health and substance use—is often inconsistent.
• And for some patients, particularly Black women, discrimination and gaps in care quality continue to affect how concerns are heard, diagnosed, and treated.

These factors don’t operate separately. Together, they shape whether care is timely, consistent, and effective—and help explain why serious complications and preventable deaths still occur.

Background

Maternal health outcomes in the United States have worsened over time, with higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and deaths than in other high-income countries. Illinois reflects these national trends, while also showing significant variation in outcomes across geography, race, and access to care.

In recent years, the state has taken steps to expand maternal health services, building on a broader set of protections designed to support access to care. These efforts are designed to increase access to care during pregnancy and after childbirth.

At the same time, the structure of care is changing. Hospital-based obstetric services have declined in some parts of the state, particularly in rural areas, where maintaining maternity units can be financially challenging. As a result, some patients must travel longer distances to reach care, which can delay prenatal visits, limit access to specialists, and complicate emergency situations.

Access challenges are not limited to geography. Many communities face shortages of maternal health providers, including obstetricians, mental health professionals, and specialists who manage high-risk pregnancies. These gaps can affect both the availability and quality of care.

Recent maternal mortality reviews in Illinois highlight how these factors interact. Most pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable, and contributing factors often include delays in care, limited access to appropriate services, gaps in follow-up care, and differences in how patients are treated within the healthcare system. For Black women in particular, disparities in outcomes remain significant, reflecting both structural barriers and differences in care experience.

Together, these dynamics point to a broader issue: improving maternal health outcomes depends not only on expanding access, but on ensuring that care is consistent, coordinated, and effective across the full course of pregnancy and postpartum recovery.

Resources

The Harvard Gazette - U.S. pregnancy-related deaths continuing to rise
ABC 7 - Illinois maternal mortality report finds rise in pregnancy-related deaths
Illinois Department of Public Health - Maternal Mortality Data Report (2025)
State of Illinois - Coordination and Public Action: Illinois' Blueprint for Birth Equity
March of Dimes - Report Card for Illinois