Special Feature Perinatal Care in Arizona 1950–2002: A Study of the Positive Impact of Technology, Regionalization and the Arizona Perinatal Trust

Arizona is a large state that has undergone profound population changes since the end of World War II. It has two major population centers (Phoenix and Tucson) that together account for approximately 75% of the state’s population. Much of the remaining population is found in small communities scattered throughout the state. There is a high Native American population, largely rural but with some metropolitan dwellers. There is also a high number of Hispanics, which is increasing rapidly through immigration. The development of neonatal intensive care centers, neonatal transport, maternal tertiary care centers and maternal transport have had a profound impact on perinatal health in Arizona. The development of a perinatal regional system and the maintenance of that system through the partnership of the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Perinatal Trust (APT) has been vital to the improvement of perinatal health in Arizona.