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 within each racial and ethnic group.

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 2019, 81% of Hispanic women and 84% of African American women in Berks County received early prenatal care, compared with 85% of white women and 100% of Asian women. The rates for both Hispanic and African American women were up by 34 and 39 percentage points, respectively, since 2007. For white women, the rate was up 16 percentage points since 2007.

Rates in Berks County were significantly higher for African American, Hispanic, and Asian women compared to state and national rates, and slightly higher for white women.

Among neighboring counties, Chester, Lancaster, Lehigh and Montgomery counties had lower rates of early prenatal care among Hispanic and African American women than Berks County. Relatively few African American and Hispanic women gave birth in Schuylkill and Lebanon counties during this period, which made accurate comparisons difficult.

Why do these disparities exist?

Researchers have uncovered a number of factors contributing to generally lower rates of early prenatal care among mothers of color. These include: socioeconomic characteristics like education and family income; maternal health and characteristics of pregnancies (such as maternal age and number of previous pregnancies); types of insurance coverage - whether women are covered by Medicaid, private insurance, or have no coverage; and the location of prenatal care facilities - in physicians' offices and public health clinics. One study found socioeconomic differences was responsible for roughly half the gap -- pregnant women with lower incomes and levels of formal education often do not have the resources necessary to obtain care early and often - but that public programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children increased access to care.

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.