Fetal Review MFM Sources
Supporting references for claims made on fetalreview.com
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Team Fetal Review
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About 1 MFM for every 2,268 U.S. births
1. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Workforce in the United States (2011)
In 2010 there were 1,355 MFM subspecialists in the US, with one MFM for every 3,150 births. This is the foundational peer-reviewed workforce study establishing the MFM-to-birth ratio.
Citation: Rayburn et al. — American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology / PubMed, 2011
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22773289/
2. MFM Workforce Growth 2010–2022 (2022)
By 2022 the number of MFM subspecialists in the US grew to 1,587 nationwide, a 17% increase from 2010. Combined with 3,596,017 US births in 2023 (CDC), this yields approximately 1 MFM per 2,268 births.
Citation: Charlotte Lozier Institute 2022, cited in Barton Associates
3. Births in the United States, 2023 (2024)
A total of 3,596,017 births were registered in the United States in 2023. Used as the denominator for the 1 MFM per 2,268 births calculation (3,596,017 ÷ 1,587 MFMs).
Citation: Martin, Hamilton, Osterman — CDC / NCHS Data Brief No. 507, August 2024
Link: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db507.htm
Most MFMs are concentrated in metropolitan centers
4. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Workforce in the United States (2011)
Nearly all (98.2%) MFM subspecialists resided in metropolitan counties with level III perinatal centres. The lowest densities were in rural states including Arkansas, Idaho, and Mississippi; North Dakota and Wyoming had none.
Citation: Rayburn et al. — PubMed / American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2011
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22773289/
5. SMFM: Strategies to Expand MFM Access in Rural and Underserved Communities (2026)
Nearly all MFM subspecialists practice in urban centres even though more than 1 in 6 births occur in rural facilities. An increase of 5 MFM specialists per 10,000 live births was associated with a 27% reduction in maternal mortality risk. Rural patients experience a 9% higher probability of severe maternal morbidity compared to urban patients.
Citation: Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) — Contemporary OB/GYN, February 2026
6. MFM Physicians Concentrate in Urban Areas Near Academic Health Centers (2019)
As with many subspecialties, maternal and fetal medicine physicians tend to concentrate in urban areas near hospitals and academic health centres, creating significant access gaps in rural and non-metropolitan regions.
Citation: NC Health Workforce — University of North Carolina, 2019
Link: https://nchealthworkforce.unc.edu/blog/mfm_fte_map_2017/
MFMs represent approximately 4% of the OB-GYN workforce
7. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Workforce in the United States (2011)
In 2010 there were 1,355 MFM subspecialists and approximately 33,000 general OB-GYNs, placing MFMs at roughly 4% of the total OB-GYN workforce. This ratio has remained broadly consistent as both groups have grown at similar rates.
Citation: Rayburn et al. — AJOG / PubMed, 2011
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22773289/
8. Insights Into the Growing OB/GYN Shortage (2025)
As of 2025, there are approximately 46,500 active OB-GYNs in the United States and an estimated 1,050–1,587 MFM specialists — representing approximately 3–4% of the OB-GYN workforce. HRSA projects the US will meet only 82% of anticipated OB-GYN demand by 2037.
Citation: Medicus Healthcare Solutions, citing US Bureau of Labor Statistics and HRSA, 2025
Link: https://medicushcs.com/resources/insights-into-the-growing-obgyn-shortage
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