Maternal Chronic Disease Prevention in Rural America: A Life Course Perspective

This commentary examines the complex maternal health landscape in rural America, highlighting the structural barriers to effective chronic disease management. We provide recommendations to center chronic disease management using a life course approach.

Women in rural areas face significantly higher maternal mortality and morbidity rates than their urban counterparts, largely due to a disproportionate burden of chronic disease conditions such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, cardiomyopathy, and mental health disorders. These disparities are deeply rooted in the unequal distribution of systemic and structural determinants of health. We call for a system-level approach related to primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts to improve maternal health in rural areas, based on the life course perspective.