What does this measure?

The number of births to women who initiated prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy (before 13 weeks gestation), expressed as a percentage of all live births.

Why is this important?

Early, high-quality prenatal care is critical to reducing risks for complications of pregnancy or birth and improving birth outcomes.

How is our county performing?

In 2018, 83% of women in Berks County received early prenatal care, a higher percentage than in Pennsylvania or the nation, at 75% and 76%, respectively. The county rate rose 17 percentage points since 2007, a larger increase than the state level (11 percentage points).

The percentage of women who received early prenatal care in Berks County in 2018 was higher than in Lancaster (66%), Lebanon (78%), Schuylkill (76%) and Lehigh (79%). counties. Berks was fairly similar to Chester and Montgomery (81% and 82%, respectively). The percentage increase in Berks from 2007 to 2018 was larger than the surrounding counties. Unlike Berks, Schuylkill's prenatal care rate declined from 2007 to 2018 by 2 percentage points.

Notes about the data

The rate excludes the number of live births for which the date of entry into prenatal care is unknown. In addition to considering when prenatal care began, it is also important to understand the quality and continuity of care received throughout the pregnancy. Comparable national data is not available before 2014.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.