The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) says it’s awarded nearly $8 million to Clemson Rural Health to pay for a mobile maternity clinic for expectant mothers in rural parts of the state.
According DPH, the health unit will be accessible in areas the department deems as maternity deserts: Abbeville, McCormick, Edgefield, and Saluda counties.
The unit will be named The B.L.O.O.M. (Bringing Lasting Outcomes for Optimal Motherhood) Clinic. Expecting mothers who utilize B.L.O.O.M. can ask for prenatal checkups, postpartum care, chronic disease management, and lactation support.
“Too many women in South Carolina have had to travel long distances to get the prenatal and postnatal care they need,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, DPH interim director. “This has contributed to poor health outcomes for mothers and babies. Today, that begins to change.”
The demand for maternal healthcare is high in South Carolina. Data from DPH shows South Carolina ranks eighth highest for maternal mortality in the United States. A 2025 report from March of Dimes says South Carolina's maternal mortality rate was 31.5 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 births.
Though funding for the project went into effect April 24, there is not yet a launch date.
