U.S. OB-GYN Shortage: Causes and Remedies

Among the specialties most impacted by the U.S. physician shortage, OB-GYNs are facing significant headwinds from multiple directions. A complex web of systemic, policy, and educational talent pipeline issues are intensifying the physician shortage in obstetrics. 

OB-GYNs do incredibly difficult and life-saving work. In previous coverage, we’ve taken a look at how shortages have impacted other specialties like Radiology. This week we’re spotlighting the root causes of the obstetrician shortage and digging into solutions that could build better outcomes for us all.

OB-GYN Shortage

• Is there a shortage of OB-GYNs in the U.S.?
• Factors Contributing to the OB-GYN Shortage
• What is the Burnout Rate for OB-GYNs?
• Strategies for Addressing the OB-GYN Shortage
• Do OB-GYNs Face More Lawsuits?
• We Specialize in Filling Hard-to-Staff Roles

Is There a Shortage of OB-GYNs in the U.S.?

Yes, there is a shortage of OB-GYNs in the U.S. based on demand. Between 2010 and 2021, approximately 25% of OB units shuttered, meaning that not only are there fewer OB-GYNs than needed, but the terrain of their practice is consolidating. Currently, it’s estimated that 6.9 million women in the U.S. lack access to obstetric care.  

Factors Contributing to the OB-GYN Shortage

Mismatch

There are plenty of smart candidates seeking to become OBs, but the training pipeline is in need of repairs to actually meet the demand. Ultimately, there’s a fundamental mismatch between the current need and the number of available residency spots. This is starkly illustrated by the fact that 1 in 5 OB students may not be matched with an opportunity because there aren’t enough spots available, meaning the field will see drop off.

But let’s do the numbers on that gap. The 2025 Match for Obstetrics & Gynecology had 1,587 total roles, with 1,586 filled. While the 99.9% fill rate may initially look like a complete match, the field had 2,151 applicants; meaning that only 74% of candidates out of the total pool had a placement. This leaves a significant portion of qualified, aspiring obstetricians without a pathway into the specialty, directly constricting the talent pipeline for the future workforce.

Burnout

The strain on the existing workforce is severe, and geographic disparities are one primary driver. 50% of US counties are maternal care deserts, meaning they lack access to an OB-GYN, midwife, or birthing care facility. This disparity deeply impacts patients, especially those in rural and remote areas who have to travel to obtain care, but the toll on providers also plays a critical role in burnout by creating an environment where a single provider may be the only OB-GYN for multiple counties. 

This unsustainable situation leads to impossible choices; being forced to choose between pregnancy-related and gynecological needs to prioritize critical resources deepens this crisis. In practice, providers are often overworked to the point of being forced to choose one patient type or the other for the health of their staff, and that often looks like diverting gynecological patients to primary care and/or NPs to manage capacity. This cycle of scarcity and overwork perpetuates burnout, driving further attrition from the field.

Underinvestment in the Future

The OB-GYN shortage is compounded by a systemic underinvestment in the future of obstetric care. Over the past decade, OB wards have consolidated or closed in parallel with broader hospital consolidation. While obstetric care is expensive, it’s more than overhead; it’s an essential investment in all of our futures. Evidence of this disinvestment is clear: obstetric care in both rural and urban areas evaporated between 2010 and 2022. These losses have disproportionately impacted rural and remote communities, as well as underserved communities in major metropolitan areas. 

Added to this, recent policy changes have disrupted the training pipeline by increasing student hesitancy around OB residency programs, prompting a concerning drop of 5.2% for OB-GYN residencies in the U.S. One thing is clear: health outcomes for everyone improve when access to Obstetric and Gynecological care improves. 

What is the Burnout Rate for OB-GYNs?

According to the National Institutes for Health, the burnout rate ranges from “40% to more than 75%” (Smith and Rayburn, 2020). Factors contributing to burnout included underappreciation, persistent fatigue, and a dire need for a support system responsive to their experiences.

Strategies for Addressing the OB-GYN Shortage

Fixing the OB shortage requires more than a one-size-fits-all solution. Since issues are both systemic and granular, we need solutions that can repair the pipeline at a higher level, along with practical solutions for the time being.

Fully Fund the Future

Addressing the OB-GYN crisis begins with the recognition that access to proper obstetric care is a key social determinant of health, especially in rural and remote communities. Full access has the power to protect the lives of women, children, parents, and also seniors by providing a key resource in areas where access to health information and education are limited. 

Fully investing resources into training programs and opening up new residency positions for OB-GYNs will help counter the physician shortage at its source. But this investment has to extend beyond the training pipeline; investing in proper maternal care infrastructure and policies that support families will be equally essential to creating a sustainable system where new physicians can practice effectively.

Calibrating the Clinical Learning Environment

Beyond simply increasing the number of training spots, training needs to evolve with changing patient population needs. That means training has to become more multifaceted to keep up with the reality of varying practice conditions in multiple settings. The realities of practicing at major metropolitan healthcare centers are different from those of rural spaces, and both areas have complex needs. Prospective OBs need training to understand what needs look like in different spaces and how to address them through tailored clinical rotations. 

Expanding options for medical school loan repayment programs is also critical. Offering improved debt repayment for physicians who commit to work in rural and remote locations will incentivize more people to pursue a career as an OB-GYN and serve where they can do the most good for communities that need care.

Locums as Proactive Burnout Prevention Strategy

Immediate relief is critical to retain talent in 2026. Utilizing locum physicians as a proactive burnout prevention tool is practical and proactive. Hiring locum physicians who can provide coverage while a permanent physician is traveling, resting, or even taking maternity leave prevents coverage gaps and protects critical talent from exhaustion.

And to top it off, locum physicians with concierge support can help ensure continuous coverage and high standards of care, especially in rural roles that often take longer to fill permanently. This approach not only maintains service continuity but also creates a more sustainable and resilient practice environment. And that gives permanent physicians the rest they need to offset burnout in high-demand specialties.

Do OB-GYNs Face More Lawsuits?

Yes, OB-GYNs have an increased risk of medical malpractice suits. According to a recent AMA survey, between 2016 and 2022 OB-GYNs and surgeons had the highest risk of lawsuits. This is because they work in specialty areas that require high-risk procedures to save lives.  

We Specialize in Filling Hard-to-Staff Roles

And we mean that. At Era we believe transparency and proactive support help healthcare facilities to find and retain their people. With top-notch physician candidates and a team who consistently maintains our reputation for elevated credentialing, we’ve placed physicians in mission-critical, difficult-to-fill roles.

Looking to hire top-notch OB-GYNs? Come see about us. To learn more about OB placements at Era, visit our OB-GYN jobs page.

Let’s get you in your complete coverage era.