Atlanta, GA

Georgia lacks maternity care outside Atlanta, March of Dimes study shows

Published

2 years ago

September 13, 2024

Georgia lacks maternity care outside Atlanta, March of Dimes study shows

Report outlines maternal care deserts in Georgia

A new report by the March of Dimes shows there are many counties in Georgia considered to be a maternal care desert. Which means there’s not a single birth center in that county and pregnant women in those counties face more barriers to getting the prenatal care they need.

ATLANTA – A new report by the March of Dimes shows more than 40% of Georgia’s counties are maternal care deserts, which means there’s not a single birth center in that county.

Dr. Padmashree “Champa” Woodham is a maternal fetal medicine specialist in Augusta.

She says there are very few experts, such as her south of Atlanta.

“I have patients that are traveling three or four hours to see me,” Dr. Woodham said.

She says it shows just how lacking Georgia is in maternal specialists and care.

“But a maternal fetal medicine specialist like myself…south of Atlanta, for example, there are no more than maybe 10 to 15 Maternal Fetal Medicine providers in the rest of the state. So, the fact that all of the women outside Atlanta only have access to those few providers is really terrifying,” Dr. Woodham said.

The March of Dimes just published their most recent maternal care deserts report, which seems to confirm what Dr. Woodham is saying.

They publish the report every two years.

“To define a maternity care desert, that means there are no obstetric providers and no obstetric hospitals or birth centers in a particular county,” said Tamara Currin, Director of State Government Affairs with the March of Dimes.

She says pregnant women living in those deserts are having to drive much further for care, which sometimes delays when they start receiving it.

“The trend has gotten worse. We see that from our 2022 report to our 2024 report. There’s been about 2% more hospital closures,” Currin said.

In the report’s map, all the counties in pink are considered maternal care deserts, while the ones in orange are considered to have low access to maternal care.

The report finds that 70% of birthing centers in the U.S. are concentrated in just ten states.

“And that’s staggering. And we are not in one of them. Georgia is not one of those,” Dr. Woodham said.

This situation, according to Dr. Woodham, puts more pregnant women at risk.

“If we don’t stay ahead of this, we’re going to see the preterm birth rate increase more,” she said.

Dr. Woodham says another big part of the problem is the state just doesn’t have enough maternal care providers.

This is why she advocated for state funding of a new maternal-fetal medicine fellowship program to train more providers to work in the state.

She says it’s a good example of the state taking action to address the problem, but she says the state needs many more programs like it.

FOX 5 reached out to state health departments that represent some of the maternal care deserts closer to Atlanta to see how they’re addressing the problem, such as the Northwest Georgia Health district which represents Paulding, Polk and Haralson counties, but haven’t heard back from yet.

The Northeast Health District, which represents Barrow and Walton Counties, say they couldn’t provide any information on addressing maternal care deserts in time for our deadlines on Thursday evening.

The District 4 Health District, which represents Butts, Lamar and Pike Counties sent this statement:

“The Georgia Department of Public Health’s Perinatal Health Partnership program is expanding its reach of home visiting services it offers to expectant mothers from pregnancy until the full first year of their baby’s life. The home-visit program was first introduced in the Gainesville and Waycross areas, and the program is expected to be rolled out in counties in District 4 Public Health’s area next month.

“The Perinatal Health program focuses on assisting pregnant women with high-risk conditions or risk factors that increase the likelihood of poor pregnancy outcomes. Although enrollment can occur after delivery, early intervention is preferred. Perinatal Health Partnership services include additional monitoring to detect potential warning signs, complications, and problems between provider appointments. Early detection increases the likelihood of prompt intervention and referral to healthcare providers for further assessment and treatment.”

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Atlanta, GA

Skol Brewing opening 30,000-square-foot gaming lounge in downtown Atlanta

Published

5 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Skol Brewing opening 30,000-square-foot gaming lounge in downtown Atlanta

Key points:

Skol Brewing is expanding with a sprawling gaming lounge in downtown Atlanta.
Valhalla Gaming Lounge should open in May at 200 Peachtree, adjacent Skol Brewing.
The gaming venue will feature food, drinks, and more than 40 game options, including simulators, bocce courts, and an old-school arcade.

Rendering of the new gaming lounge. (Provided by Skol Brewing)

Skol Brewing Company is about to get a lot bigger. The Nordic-themed brewpub in downtown Atlanta’s 200 Peachtree building is expanding into an adjacent 30,000-square-foot space dedicated to playing games.

Valhalla Gaming Lounge should open in May, ahead of the FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta this summer at nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Longtime Atlantans will remember that the 200 Peachtree building, located next door to the Westin Peachtree Plaza, is the former home of Davison’s and Macy’s department stores.

All 2026 FIFA World Cup Atlanta coverage

What to expect

Valhalla Gaming Lounge will feature more than 40 gaming options, including simulators, soccer experiences, bocce courts, billiard tables, darts, and old-school arcade games. There’s also a possibility a live-music stage and climbing wall could become part of the gaming lounge in the future. Skol already operates an axe-throwing venue at the downtown Atlanta brewpub through a partnership with American Axes.

Expect the Skol food and drinks menu served at Valhalla Gaming Lounge.

Related stories:
• 200 Peachtree announces Skol Brewing Co., Valhalla Social
• Red Phone Booth team opening three new Downtown Atlanta restaurants
• Where to eat like a local in downtown Atlanta

Skol Brewing in Atlanta

Skol Brewing Company opened at 200 Peachtree last year with a Nordic-inspired theme and menu. The menu, developed by Chef Rich Rosendale, leans into Midwest comfort food like Ellsworth Creamery cheese curds, smoked brisket poutine, and a take on a “Jucy Lucy” burger (cheese-stuffed patty popular in Minnesota).

The brewery produces nearly 20 beers, including Northern Lights Lager, Space Wrangler Hazy IPA, and Skol Nation Cold IPA, the last of which was brewed with Minnesota Vikings fans in mind. (The bar produces indoor snow whenever the Vikings score a touchdown.)

Valhalla Gaming Lounge joins several other restaurants in the works within the heart of downtown Atlanta and South Downtown near the state capitol. Many of these restaurants will open ahead of the World Cup.

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Atlanta, GA

Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta

Published

1 day ago

March 27, 2026

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Power outage impacts more than 5,000 customers in Midtown Atlanta

Updated on: March 27, 2026 / 9:48 AM EDT
/ CBS Atlanta

Thousands of people are without power in Midtown Atlanta as crews work to restore service following an equipment failure, according to Georgia Power.

The outage affected nearly 5,300 customers, stretching from Currier Street Northeast to 11th Street.

Georgia Power said the outage was caused by an equipment issue, and crews are on-site making repairs.

Officials added that, thanks to smart grid technology, service is expected to be remotely restored to more than half of affected customers soon.

An estimated restoration time was listed at 10:15 a.m.

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Atlanta, GA

The Best Vintage Shops in Atlanta

Published

2 days ago

March 26, 2026

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Vogue’s guide to the best vintage stores in Atlanta is part of our directory of the very best vintage around the world, curated by editors from all over. Whether you’re traveling and searching for some superb stores to visit on your trip or are curious about your local vintage treasure chests, Vogue’s directory has you covered.

Come to Atlanta for its southern charm and lush greenery, stay for its vintage. The Hollywood of the South has a lot more than on-set locations and an upcoming roster of FIFA World Cup games, and whether exploring shops along the Beltline, losing your voice at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or itching for the eccentric pleasures of a roadside antique mall, these vintage gems make the journey to the A more than worth it.

Photo: Courtesy of The Clothing Warehouse

Dutch field pants, netted shirts, prairie dresses, and a floor-to-ceiling selection of cowboy boots are a few of the many goods awaiting your search at this Atlanta mainstay. Opened by Jim Buckley in 1992, the Clothing Warehouse now calls the hipster Little 5 Points home. Its redbrick exterior is hard to miss—head upstairs for womenswear and union-made dresses, then downstairs to a room of seriously color-coded tees—it’s likely you will find plenty of Atlanta history in the form of 1996 Summer Olympics shirts. Plus, its wholesale location is a 15-minute drive away in West Midtown, if you’re up for an afternoon dig.

Address: 420 Moreland Ave NE, Atlanta

At the vintage and makers market Mother Lode, there’s something for every lover of old things. Founder Lindsay Short’s estate sale background is well-reflected in the shop’s range of garments, decor, and wares. Find 1930s beach pajamas beside bowling shirts and Edwardian tunics at Fellows Vintage’s booth, or ’60s wedding dresses that seem more Factory Girl than bride-to-be from Iron Pony. The hunt continues at Mother Lode’s sister location in college town Athens, which opened in 2023.

Address: 3429 Covington Hwy Ste B, Decatur

Monet Brewerton-Palmer first got her love for bridal from her grandmother, who was a shop seamstress. Then, after shopping for her own wedding dress in 2014 and ending up with four, her interest (and personal collection) only grew. Now, Brewerton-Palmer offers brides an array of dresses by Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Catherine Rayner, and more. Standout pieces include a 1959 one-of-one from Jacques Heim, a silk rose-covered Christian Dior for the romantic, and a fur-accented Muriel Martin for the nontraditionalist.

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