![Births: access to a maternity hospital would exceed 45 minutes for 1 in 10 women](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2021-07-30/shutterstock-1141042889.jpeg)
On average, half of pregnant women live about 9 minutes from a maternity hospital compared to 8 minutes in the 2000s. However, 7% of women of childbearing age have to walk more distance, according to a new DREES report. .
According to a new study by the Directorate of Research, Studies, Evaluation and Statistics (DREES) published on July 29, the proportion of women of childbearing age residing respectively more than 30 and more than 45 minutes from maternity has increased since 2017. The main reason for this “Light »Increase is explained by a significant closure of establishments. Between 2000 and 2017, the number of maternity hospitals increased from 717 to 496.
11 departments affected
“At departmental level, the situation is mixed “, indicates the DRESS. Thus, in the Lot, Nièvre and Cantal, the effect of maternity closures on access time is significant. However, the proportion of women far from maternity hospitals is reduced in the two departments of Corsica as well as in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, as more of them live near maternity wards.
“ The decision to close maternity hospitals in France is often based on considerations of safety of care. Maternities that close are smaller and those that remain are larger. They carry out more deliveries and they have specialized in the management of high-risk pregnancies ”, concludes the DRESS.