Many pregnant people live miles from a hospital in obstetric care, while half of rural hospitals lack obstetric care. For women of color in particular, this can prove fatal. About 2 million rural women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts at least 25 miles away from a labor and delivery unit. Rural hospitals and obstetric units, already scarce, have shut down in record numbers in recent years. More people are dying in rural areas with pregnancy-related complications, statistics show. It’s worse for women of color. To understand and illuminate the scope of the problem, USA TODAY visited and interviewed dozens of women and their families, community advocates and leaders, and clinicians and experts, including researchers working with federal officials to map areas lacking care. CORRECTION: An earlier version of the South Dakota hospitals with obstetrics graphic mislocated the town of Yankton. The corrected version can be found in the story through our link in bio.