Mobile reproductive health clinics
Mobile reproductive health clinics are medically equipped vans staffed by clinicians that offer reproductive health services (e.g., pregnancy tests, prenatal and postpartum care, gynecological exams, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings, etc.), health education, and referrals to other clinical or social services. Vans can include a waiting room, private exam areas, an education area, and a laboratory, as well as monitors, diagnostic equipment, and educational materials1. They may also provide care in community spaces2. Mobile clinics typically serve populations at increased risk, such as individuals with low incomes or without insurance, in both urban and rural areas . Clinics may partner with or be part of health care systems, non-profits, or community agencies such as public health departments. Clinics are funded through private and public insurances, philanthropy, grants, patient payment3, or federal funds4.
Mobile reproductive health clinics are a subset of mobile health clinics, which are also sometimes called mobile health units or mobile medical units.
What could this strategy improve?
Expected Benefits
Our evidence rating is based on the likelihood of achieving these outcomes:
Improved prenatal care
Potential Benefits
Our evidence rating is not based on these outcomes, but these benefits may also be possible:
Reduced preterm birth
Increased use of contraception
Improved access to reproductive health care
Increased STI testing
What does the research say about effectiveness?
There is some evidence that mobile reproductive health clinics increase initiation of prenatal care in the first trimester of pregnancy among Hispanic immigrants living in urban areas1, 5. However, additional research is needed to confirm effects and determine effects for other populations6.
A California-based study suggests that for Hispanic immigrants who have public insurance mobile health units may provide similar quality prenatal care as other community clinics5. A Florida-based study among populations who are largely uninsured and majority Hispanic immigrants suggests that, in some cases, patients at mobile reproductive clinics may be more likely to receive adequate prenatal care and less likely to deliver their babies preterm than those who receive care at other clinics1. A mobile reproductive health clinic regularly visiting substance use recovery centers may increase use of contraception among patients with substance use disorder who are seeking treatment7; experts suggest such units may also be used to reach other patients who are not yet in treatment through correctional facilities or courts8. Offering reproductive health care in mobile clinics may remove barriers to providing reproductive care, including distribution of birth control and sexual health education, to adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods9.
Mobile health clinics offering other specialty care or services can provide some of the same services as mobile reproductive health clinics, such as a mobile primary care clinic providing contraception (including LARCs)10 or a mobile unit being used as part of a harm reduction initiative for people who inject drugs providing services such as HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)11. Mobile health clinics can reach a variety of populations at higher risk12, 13, including immigrants1, 5, 14, 15, individuals with substance use disorders7, 11, 15, 16, and those with unstable housing17.
Mobile health units are a significant investment and have ongoing costs that vary based on staffing, services, and miles traveled18. Experts suggest that when starting a mobile health program, organizations should consider where funding will come from and where to procure units, what staffing needs will be, what services and medications will be available, connecting to community partners and determining locations, as well as ongoing costs and return on investment expectations17. The average return on investment for mobile health clinics is estimated to be 18 to 119. Primary care mobile health units expanding their family planning services to include LARCs may require new equipment, procedures, and provider training20.
No research is available on the use of mobile health clinics in accessing permanent contraception, particularly vasectomies (which is usually an outpatient procedure), or in abortion care21.
How could this strategy advance health equity? This strategy is rated potential to decrease disparities: suggested by expert opinion.
Mobile reproductive health clinics are a suggested strategy to decrease disparities in access to reproductive health care for people in rural and underserved communities, including those with low incomes, from racialized backgrounds, or individuals from sexual minority populations3, 17, 21.
Mobile reproductive health clinics appear to reach those they intended to help, including those who are living in maternity care deserts30, who are low income1, 5, who are uninsured1, 30 or on public insurance5, and Hispanic immigrants1, 5, as well as Indigenous populations14.
In general, approximately 65% of patients at mobile health clinics are from racially minoritized groups and most are either uninsured or on public insurance programs19. Surveys of the populations served by mobile health units suggest providers should provide culturally competent care and practice cultural humility31.
The maternal mortality rate in the U.S. is higher than in any other developed country32, and there are stark disparities within the U.S.. Pregnancy-related mortality is three times higher for Black women, and two times higher for American Indian and Alaska Native women compared to their white counterparts; maternal death rates and racial disparities increased during the COVID-19 pandemic33. Negative birth outcomes, including preterm birth, low birthweight, and infant mortality, are higher among Black births than white births34, and preterm birth is higher for all births in counties lacking obstetric (OB) care35.
Rurality is associated with increased pregnancy-related mortality compared to urban areas, particularly for women who are Black or American Indian and Alaska Native36, 37, as well as with reduced access to OB services, particularly for women who are American Indian and Alaska Native38. Many pregnant people in rural areas, particularly in the Midwest or the South, live in counties with no obstetricians or maternity care centers, severely restricting their access to care35. Women who are immigrants are less likely to access prenatal care39, particularly women who are undocumented40.
What is the relevant historical background?
Access to obstetric (OB) care has been declining in rural counties since at least 200441. As of 2022, 52.4% of rural hospitals did not provide OB care compared to 35.7% of urban hospitals, though both saw drops in availability42. From 2010 to 2024, 171 rural hospitals closed or stopped offering inpatient services altogether41. Rural OB care faces a variety of financial barriers, including high staffing costs, workforce shortages, and low Medicaid reimbursement rates. Medicaid covers nearly half of all rural births, while its reimbursement rate for births is half the rate of private insurers41.
The Federal Housing Administration’s redlining practices concentrated poverty43 and entrenched racial residential segregation in the U.S., resulting in fewer health care facilities, resources, and funding in urban areas with largely Black populations44, 45. Segregation continues to be associated with increased risk of preterm birth and low birthweight for patients who are Black, with risks increasing as segregation in neighborhoods increases34.
Mobile health units originated in World War II and were adopted by civilian populations after the war46. In the U.S., mobile health clinics have been providing free and reduced-cost care to historically marginalized communities for decades47, such as La Clinica de los Campesinos in Wisconsin, which bought its first mobile health clinic in the 1970s to provide seasonal care to migrant farmworkers48. The number of mobile health clinics has grown significantly over the last thirty years. They were heavily used during the COVID-19 pandemic and many are now being converted into full-service community health centers49. Community health centers are increasingly investing in mobile health clinics3, and in 2023, the MOBILE Healthcare Act changed grant funding rules to allow the use of federal funds to expand services by buying mobile medical units to open mobile clinics3.
Equity Considerations
- What disparities in birth and maternal outcomes exist in your community? What groups are most affected?
- What reproductive health care resources are available in your community? Are certain groups less able to access the care and services available?
- What are the barriers to offering high quality, linguistically and culturally appropriate reproductive health care?
Implementation Examples
As of 2025, there are estimated to be 3,000 mobile clinics, which host up to 10 million visits per year, including reproductive health visits, in rural and urban communities. Over 1,300 of them are registered with Mobile Health Map, including 146 that provide sexual and reproductive health care as part of their offerings, and 125 which provide maternal and infant health services, with some overlap between the two groups19.
Rural examples include Plan A mobile clinics that provide free sexual and reproductive health care and basic primary care in the Mississippi Delta and southwest Georgia2. In rural Alabama, the Mothers of Gynecology Wellness Pod provides care, education, and assistance to current and expectant mothers who are Black, underinsured, or uninsured22. In Texas, the Healthy Mujeres Unimóvil provides prenatal and preventive services to uninsured and underinsured women in the Rio Grande Valley23. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Institute for Community Health Innovation has mobile units providing prenatal care, contraception, and other women’s health services to rural areas in Arkansas24.
Some services bridge both rural and urban locations, such as Ohio Health’s Wellness on Wheels mobile unit that provides primary care, women’s health services, and prenatal care in central and southeast Ohio, regardless of ability to pay25. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York operates Project Street Beat, providing services to people of all genders in urban and suburban locations in New York City and Nassau County, including contraception, STI and HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), counseling, and links patients to other sexual and reproductive health services26. Other urban examples include New York City’s mobile health vans27 and Boston’s Family Van, which has been providing care since 199228.
Federal New Access Points grant funding, which is used to fund new primary care sites for medically underserved populations, can now be used to fund mobile health units29.
Implementation Resources
‡ Resources with a focus on equity.
MHM - Mobile health map (MHM). Mobile clinic impact tracker.
NFPRH - Alternative modes of care delivery interventions. (n.d.). National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
Williams 2023 - Williams, M. M., Bui, S. T., Lin, J. S., Fan, G. H., & Oriol, N. E. (2023). Health care leaders’ perspectives on the business impact of mobile health clinics. International Journal for Equity in Health, 22(1), 173.
Footnotes
* Journal subscription may be required for access.
1 O’Connell 2010 - O’Connell E, Zhang G, Leguen F, Prince J. Impact of a mobile van on prenatal care utilization and birth outcomes in Miami-Dade County. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2010;14(4):528-534.
2 Plan A - PLAN A. (n.d.). Health care on wheels. PLAN A Health, Inc. Mississippi. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
3 Sabo 2025 - Sabo, K., Herring, E., Clock, C., Bell, J. G., & Reidy, P. (2025). Exploring mobile health clinics: A scoping review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 36(1), 1–20.
4 Malone 2020a - Malone, N. C., Williams, M. M., Smith Fawzi, M. C., Bennet, J., Hill, C., Katz, J. N., & Oriol, N. E. (2020). Mobile health clinics in the United States. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(1), 40.
5 Edgerley 2007 - Edgerley LP, El-Sayed YY, Druzin ML, Kiernan M, Daniels KI. Use of a community mobile health van to increase early access to prenatal care. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2007;11(3):235-239.
6 Darling 2021 - Darling, E. K., Kjell, C., Tubman-Broeren, M., & Marquez, O. (2021). The effect of prenatal care delivery models targeting populations with low rates of PNC attendance: A systematic review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 32(1), 119–136.
7 Hurley 2023 - Hurley, E. A., Goggin, K., Piña-Brugman, K., Noel-MacDonnell, J. R., Allen, A., Finocchario-Kessler, S., & Miller, M. K. (2023). Contraception use among individuals with substance use disorder increases tenfold with patient-centered, mobile services: A quasi-experimental study. Harm Reduction Journal, 20(1), 28.
8 Urban-Johnston 2022 - Johnston, E. M., Courtot, B., Burroughs, E., Benatar, S., & Hill, I. (2022). Access to reproductive health care for women in treatment for substance use disorder. Urban Institute.
9 Stefansson 2018 - Stefansson LS, Webb ME, Hebert LE, Masinter L, Gilliam ML. MOBILE-izing adolescent sexual and reproductive health care: A pilot study using a mobile health unit in Chicago. Journal of School Health. 2018;88(3):208-216.
10 Stumbar 2020 - Stumbar, S. E., Garba, N. A., Bhoite, P., Ravelo, N., & Shringarpure, N. (2020). Pilot study of a free long-acting reversible contraception program on a mobile health center in Miami Dade County, Florida. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 22(2), 421–425.
11 Page 2024 - Page, K. R., Weir, B. W., Zook, K., Rosecrans, A., Harris, R., Grieb, S. M., Falade-Nwulia, O., Landry, M., Escobar, W., Ramirez, M. P., Saxton, R. E., Clarke, W. A., Sherman, S. G., & Lucas, G. M. (2024). Integrated care van delivery of evidence-based services for people who inject drugs: A cluster-randomized trial. Addiction, 119(7), 1276–1288.
12 Yu 2017 - Yu SWY, Hill C, Ricks ML, Bennet J, Oriol NE. The scope and impact of mobile health clinics in the United States: A literature review. International Journal for Equity in Health. 2017;16:178.
13 Hill 2014a - Hill CF, Powers BW, Jain SH, et al. Mobile health clinics in the era of reform. The American Journal of Managed Care. 2014;20(3):261-264.
14 Phelan 2024 - Phelan, S., Tseng, M., Kelleher, A., Kim, E., Macedo, C., Charbonneau, V., Gilbert, I., Parro, D., & Rawlings, L. (2024). Increasing access to medical care for hispanic women without insurance: A mobile clinic approach. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 26(3), 482–491.
15 Gibson 2017 - Gibson BA, Morano JP, Walton MR, et al. Innovative program delivery and determinants of frequent visitation to a mobile medical clinic in an urban setting. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. 2017;28(2):643-662.
16 Martin 2014 - Martin CE, Terplan M, Han J, Chaulk P, Serio-Chapman C. Contraception continuation among female exotic dancers seeking mobile reproductive health services concurrent with syringe exchange. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2014;140:e135.
17 NFPRH-Mobile health units - Mobile health units: A strategy to increase access to family planning and sexual health services. (n.d.). National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
18 MHM-Costs 2023 - How much does it cost to run a mobile clinic? (2023, January 27). Mobile Health Map at Harvard Medical School.
19 MHM - Mobile health map (MHM). Mobile clinic impact tracker.
20 Nall 2019 - Nall, M., O’Connor, S., Hopper, T., Peterson, H., & Mahajan, B. (2019). Community women and reproductive autonomy: Building an infrastructure for long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) services in a mobile health clinic. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 30(1), 47–58.
21 Kaur 2023 - Kaur, S., & Lathrop, E. (2023). Mobile programs in family planning. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 35(6), 501.
22 MoG pod - Mothers of gynecology wellness pod: A mobile maternal health support unit. (n.d.). Anarcha Lucy Betsey - The Mothers of Gynecology. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
23 Healthy Mujeres - Healthy Mujeres. (n.d.). The University of Texas System. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
24 UAMS-Mobile health services - Mobile Health Services. (n.d.). University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institute for Community Health Innovation. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
25 OH-WoW - Wellness on Wheels. (n.d.). OhioHealth. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
26 PPNY-Project Street Beat - Project Street Beat. (n.d.). Planned Parenthood of Greater New York. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
27 CHN-Mobile - Community Healthcare Network. Medical mobile van.
28 Family Van - The Family Van. Promoting healthy communities in Boston since 1992.
29 HRSA-NAP grant - Apply for FY25 New Access Points. (2025, March). Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA).
30 March of Dimes-Hardy 2022 - Hardy, K., Flax, C., Schmidt, E., Mishkin, K., Mpare, M., Greenberg, A., Aquino, T., & Henderson, Z. (2022, September). Better starts for all case study. March of Dimes.
31 de Peralta 2019 - de Peralta, A. M., Gillispie, M., Mobley, C., & Gibson, L. M. (2019). It’s all about trust and respect: Cultural competence and cultural humility in mobile health clinic services for underserved minority populations. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 30(3), 1103–1118.
32 Tucker 2021 - Tucker CM, Felder TM, Dail RB, Lyndon A, Allen K-C. Group prenatal care and maternal outcomes: A scoping review. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 2021;46(6):314-322.
33 KFF-Hill 2022 - Hill L, Artiga S, Ranji U. Racial disparities in maternal and infant health: Current status and efforts to address them. KFF. 2022.
34 Mehra 2017 - Mehra R, Boyd LM, Ickovics JR. Racial segregation and adverse birth outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine. 2017;191:237-250.
35 March of Dimes-Brigance 2022 - Brigance C, Lucas R, Jones E, et al. Nowhere to go: Maternity care deserts across the U.S. (Report No. 3). March of Dimes; 2022.
36 ASPE-Knocke 2022 - Knocke K, Chappel A, Sugar S, De Lew N, Sommers BD. Doula care and maternal health: An evidence review. Issue Brief no. HP-2022-24. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2022.
37 Merkt 2021 - Merkt, P. T., Kramer, M. R., Goodman, D. A., Brantley, M. D., Barrera, C. M., Eckhaus, L., & Petersen, E. E. (2021). Urban-rural differences in pregnancy-related deaths, United States, 2011–2016. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 225(2), 183.e1-183.e16.
38 Thorsen 2022 - Thorsen, M. L., Harris, S., McGarvey, R., Palacios, J., & Thorsen, A. (2022). Evaluating disparities in access to obstetric services for American Indian women across Montana. The Journal of Rural Health : Official Journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association, 38(1), 151–160.
39 Zaidi 2024 - Zaidi, M., Fantasia, H. C., Penders, R., Koren, A., & Enah, C. (2024). Increasing U.S. maternal health equity among immigrant populations through community engagement. Nursing for Women’s Health, 28(1), 11–22.
40 Korinek 2011 - Korinek, K., & Smith, K. R. (2011). Prenatal care among immigrant and racial-ethnic minority women in a new immigrant destination: Exploring the impact of immigrant legal status. Social Science & Medicine, 72(10), 1695–1703.
41 NRHA-Waldman 2024 - Waldman, H., & Zimmerman, A. (2024, February). Maternal health in rural America. National Rural Health Association.
42 Kozhimannil 2025 - Kozhimannil, K. B., Interrante, J. D., Carroll, C., Sheffield, E. C., Fritz, A. H., McGregor, A. J., & Handley, S. C. (2025). Obstetric care access at rural and urban hospitals in the United States. JAMA, 333(2), 166–169.
43 Kaplan 2007 - Kaplan J, Valls A. Housing discrimination as a basis for Black reparations. Public Affairs Quarterly. 2007;21(3):255-273.
44 Lee 2023 - Lee EK, Donley G, Ciesielski TH, Freedman DA, Cole MB. Spatial availability of federally qualified health centers and disparities in health services utilization in medically underserved areas. Social Science and Medicine. 2023;328:116009.
45 Lee 2022c - Lee EK, Donley G, Ciesielski TH, et al. Health outcomes in redlined versus non-redlined neighborhoods: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science and Medicine. 2022;294:114696.
46 FORRAD-MMU - Venkatesh, A. (2019, September 21). Mobile Medical Units: In History and Beyond. Foundation for Rural Recovery and Development (FORRAD).
47 Coaston 2022 - Coaston, A., Lee, S.-J., Johnson, J., Hardy-Peterson, M., Weiss, S., & Stephens, C. (2022). Mobile medical clinics in the United States post-Affordable Care Act: An integrative review. Population Health Management, 25(2), 264–279.
48 Noble Community Clinics-History - Our History. (n.d.). Noble Community Clinics. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
49 MHM-Williams 2024 - Williams, M. (2024, February 22). Mobile clinics fill critical gaps in care. Our communities need them now more than ever. Mobile Health Map at Harvard Medical School.
Related What Works for Health Strategies
To see all strategies:
countyhealthrankings.org/whatworks