CDC: Early prenatal care rates declining in U.S.

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 new federal data (Source: “Early prenatal care, considered best for moms and babies, is on the decline in the US,” Associated Press, Feb. 19).
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 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%.
 
While the trend identified in the report held for nearly all racial and ethnic groups, the decrease in early prenatal care was higher for moms in minority groups. For example, first-trimester care dropped from 69.7% in 2021 to 65.1% in 2024 for Black mothers.