Get the Facts

The Problem

Arkansas has one of the highest

maternal mortality rates in America.

  • Nearly all maternal deaths in Arkansas are preventable.

    Source

  • In 2020, more than 260 Arkansas babies died before reaching their first birthday.

  • One out of every 50 Arkansas moms requires hospitalization during pregnancy or postpartum.

  • Nearly half of Arkansas counties have no birthing facilities or obstetric providers.

  • One in six Arkansas counties has no hospital within a 30-minute drive.

  • Nearly half of babies in Arkansas are born on Medicaid.

  • Average infant care costs exceed $8,800 per year (about 30% of a single parent’s income) in Arkansas.

  • Two thirds of rural Arkansas counties are classified as childcare deserts.

    Source

  • Lack of childcare costs the state nearly $793 million annually in lost productivity.

  • Three out of four Arkansas workers have no access to paid leave, and two out of three are not covered by even unpaid FMLA protections.

The Solution

In communities across Arkansas, new solutions are reshaping maternal health and economic opportunity—bridging care gaps, expanding support and strengthening outcomes for moms and babies. 

  • In 2023, the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 770,  extending maternity leave for state employees, with unanimous bipartisan support. This act extended maternity leave from 4 weeks to 12 weeks in a united effort to support the health and well-being of biological, adoptive and foster mothers and babies in Arkansas. 

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  • In 2025, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Legislature committed $45.3 million to improve maternal and infant health. Arkansas was also awarded a 10-year, $17 million federal CMS grant through the TMaH model to expand telehealth; access to doulas, midwives and community health workers; improve data systems; and strengthen whole-person care.

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  • Heartland Forward launched the Maternal & Child Health Center for Policy and Practice in Bentonville to develop nonpartisan solutions and improve access to quality maternal care, especially in rural areas.

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  • Excel by 8 launched The Arkansas Employer Toolkit designed to help employers understand an array of options to better support the childcare needs of employees.

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  • A new UAMS/UA Hope-Texarkana partnership created a robust doula training pipeline, including over 100 hours of training, lactation support certification and six months of mentorship.

    UAMS also introduced:

    Mother & Infant Supply Kits for new moms at its Little Rock Medical Center, including essentials for infant care and safe sleep.

    CenteringPregnancy® group prenatal care in multiple locations, reducing access barriers and building peer support for expectant mothers.

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