EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
Early prenatal care improves the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. But a new federal report shows it’s been on the decline.
The share of U.S. births to women who began prenatal care in the first trimester dropped from 78.3% in 2021 to 75.5% in 2024, according to data released recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Meanwhile, starting care later in pregnancy or getting no care at all has been on the rise. Prenatal care beginning in the second trimester rose from 15.4% to 17.3%, and starting care in the third trimester or getting no care went from 6.3% to 7.3%.
Besides describing the national picture, the CDC report included state-by-state statistics. For example, it found that late or no prenatal care increased in 36 states and the District of Columbia from 2021 to 2024.
Though researchers didn’t look at why prenatal care is starting later, OB-GYNs said one likely reason is the proliferation of maternity care deserts across the nation.
Below you can find more state-by-state information and reporting tips on how to chronicle prenatal care trends in your state.
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READ AP’S COVERAGE
Early prenatal care, considered best for moms and babies, is on the decline in the US
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IDENTIFY LOCAL TRENDS
The CDC report includes a map (scroll to figure 4) showing the percentage of late or no prenatal care by state for 2024 and the change in percentage from 2021 to 2024. Beneath the map is a link that opens a data table showing more detailed numbers.
Utah had the largest increases in late or no prenatal care, followed by Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Late or no prenatal care decreased in six states: Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
A March of Dimes report from 2024 examined maternity care deserts across the nation and also includes a helpful county-by-county map. Overall, it found that more than 35% of counties are maternity care deserts. This means that in 1,104 U.S. counties, there’s no birthing facility or obstetric provider. Researchers point out that women living in maternity care deserts and counties with low access to care get less prenatal care and have higher rates of preterm birth.
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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— How has prenatal care changed over time in your state? Are more people coming in later for care? Speak with doctors about what they’ve seen, why patients are coming in later and whether this has affected maternal health and maternal mortality overall.
— Talk to pregnant women who started prenatal care after the first trimester about why. Are they finding it more difficult to access care? Do they live far away from obstetricians and birthing hospitals? Are they having difficulty finding health care providers who take their insurance? This can be a particular issue for moms with Medicaid.
— Look at trends in the growth of maternal care deserts in your county or state. Have local hospitals closed their maternity wards? Ask the hospital leaders why, and talk with doctors and nurses about the impact. Talk with families living near hospitals that have closed labor and delivery units. What challenges do they now face? How are they coping?
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Europe offers clues for solving America’s maternal mortality crisis
Rural hospitals are closing maternity wards. People are seeking options to give birth closer to home
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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