A recent study published in Obstetrics & Gynecology projects a worsening mismatch between obstetrician-gynecologist (OB-GYN) supply and patient demand over the next decade. Nationally, the OB-GYN workforce is 93.4% adequate to meet current demand, and total supply is projected to decline by 9.3% by 2035. As a result, adequacy is expected drop 10.8 percentage points nationally, with sharp differences in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Geographic variation is pronounced at the state level, underscoring the uneven distribution of access across the country. In the face of this trend, hospitals may need to reassess how obstetric care is delivered in their communities. This includes understanding local demand for OB-GYN services, the prevalence of high-risk obstetrics and the proportion of the population whose needs could be safely met by other clinical providers. In some cases, health systems may need to reconsider whether they should retain their OB-GYN service lines at all.
