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New Mexico is a vast state – the fifth largest in the U.S. But it has one of the smallest populations, ranking 36th with slightly more than 2.1 million people. In 2022, New Mexico also had the highest poverty rate in the nation at 17.6%. In 2024, it ranked 50th in education.
THE CHALLENGE
The challenges faced by the citizens of New Mexico in their everyday lives roll into complexities in their access to healthcare, said Dr. Mike Ruma, head of fetal medicine and maternal health at Perinatal Associates of New Mexico.
“Unfortunately, this storyline carries over to pregnancy as well,” he explained. “New Mexico has one of the highest teen birth…