UnityPoint Health Expands Maternal-Fetal Medicine Care Across Iowa Through Telehealth
Oct 29, 2026
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines is building the first statewide maternal-fetal medicine telehealth network so families with high-risk pregnancies can receive specialized care closer to home. 
Supported by a Healthy Hometowns grant from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, UnityPoint Health specialists in Des Moines will partner with rural hospitals and clinics to expand access to advanced pregnancy care. The network is designed to reduce travel, geographic and financial barriers while supporting better outcomes.
The initiative addresses a critical need in Iowa, where more than 57 percent of counties lack obstetric services and nearly 40 percent are considered maternity care deserts. Iowa also experienced a 30 percent increase in infant mortality between 2021 and 2022.
Through the network, UnityPoint Health is connecting specially trained sonographers to capture ultrasound images locally, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians in Des Moines to review them remotely. This approach supports earlier identification and intervention of high-risk pregnancies and fetal abnormalities while also giving patients access to advanced diagnostic expertise closer to home.
UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge became the network’s first site in June 2026. In the first month, the program supported 52 fetal anatomy scans. Since then, more than 130 patients have received specialty services locally.
For patients like Hannah, who have Type 1 diabetes, receiving high-risk pregnancy care locally can make a meaningful difference. Without the network, she would need to travel to Des Moines for each appointment — up to twice a week during her third trimester. Receiving care in Fort Dodge saves time and travel costs while helping her stay close to family and her support system.
“Where a patient lives should not determine the quality of maternal care they receive,” says Dr. Wendy Woods-Swafford, chief medical officer for UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. “This initiative will help rural families access advanced specialty services in a new way. We are proud to expand our care to more patients across Iowa.”
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines plans to continue expanding the maternal-fetal medicine telehealth network to additional rural hospitals and clinics across Iowa.
The grant also supports recruiting and training rural sonographers to build sustainable local staffing and strengthen maternal healthcare in underserved communities. UnityPoint Health is investing beyond the grant award in telehealth technology, ultrasound equipment, staffing, training and care coordination to support the network’s long-term expansion across Iowa.
Supported by a Healthy Hometowns grant from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, UnityPoint Health specialists in Des Moines will partner with rural hospitals and clinics to expand access to advanced pregnancy care. The network is designed to reduce travel, geographic and financial barriers while supporting better outcomes.
The initiative addresses a critical need in Iowa, where more than 57 percent of counties lack obstetric services and nearly 40 percent are considered maternity care deserts. Iowa also experienced a 30 percent increase in infant mortality between 2021 and 2022.
Through the network, UnityPoint Health is connecting specially trained sonographers to capture ultrasound images locally, and maternal-fetal medicine physicians in Des Moines to review them remotely. This approach supports earlier identification and intervention of high-risk pregnancies and fetal abnormalities while also giving patients access to advanced diagnostic expertise closer to home.
UnityPoint Health – Fort Dodge became the network’s first site in June 2026. In the first month, the program supported 52 fetal anatomy scans. Since then, more than 130 patients have received specialty services locally.
For patients like Hannah, who have Type 1 diabetes, receiving high-risk pregnancy care locally can make a meaningful difference. Without the network, she would need to travel to Des Moines for each appointment — up to twice a week during her third trimester. Receiving care in Fort Dodge saves time and travel costs while helping her stay close to family and her support system.
“Where a patient lives should not determine the quality of maternal care they receive,” says Dr. Wendy Woods-Swafford, chief medical officer for UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. “This initiative will help rural families access advanced specialty services in a new way. We are proud to expand our care to more patients across Iowa.”
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines plans to continue expanding the maternal-fetal medicine telehealth network to additional rural hospitals and clinics across Iowa.
The grant also supports recruiting and training rural sonographers to build sustainable local staffing and strengthen maternal healthcare in underserved communities. UnityPoint Health is investing beyond the grant award in telehealth technology, ultrasound equipment, staffing, training and care coordination to support the network’s long-term expansion across Iowa.
“Where a patient lives should not determine the quality of maternal care they receive. This initiative will help rural families access advanced specialty services in a new way. We are proud to expand our care to more patients across Iowa.”
