According to CDC analysis of birth certificates, fewer pregnant Americans are getting prenatal care in the first weeks of pregnancy — or at all — reversing years of progress.
- Why it matters: Skipping first-trimester care raises the risk of preventable complications for moms and babies. The Infant Mortality Rate in Escambia County is 7.3 per 1,000 births, while the state average is 5.7.
By the numbers: In 2021, 9.1% of pregnancies received late or no prenatal care in Florida. In 2024, 11.4% received late or no prenatal care — 2.3% increase, only exceeded by Georgia’s 3.5% jump. Late or no care increased in at least 36 states and D.C. in that same period — rising nationally from 6.3% to 7.3%.
Easy Interventions
Axios reports that if caught early, conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can often be managed to lower risks for mom and baby — sometimes with “easy interventions” like starting aspirin, according to Alex Peahl, OB-GYN and ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Fellow.
- As more patients enter pregnancy with chronic conditions, early treatment becomes even more critical. These are therapies “we know make a big difference in patients’ lives,” she says, “but they’re most effective if they’re started in that first trimester.”
ACOG recommends that health systems adopt its new tailored prenatal care guidance. Read Tailored Prenatal Care Delivery for Pregnant Individuals.
Summary of Consensus Recommendations
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals should conduct a comprehensive prenatal needs assessment, including medical, social, and structural drivers of health, ideally before 10 weeks of gestation or when a pregnant individual first presents for care.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals should engage pregnant individuals in developing their care plans using shared decision making.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals should refer or coordinate assistance through the health system and community for individuals with unmet social needs.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals may adjust prenatal care delivery to be more accessible for pregnant individuals, especially for those with unmet needs.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals may tailor the visit frequency and monitoring schedule as determined by the medical and social needs of the pregnant individual.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals may offer telemedicine or other visit modalities as long as they support the completion of guideline-based recommended services.
Obstetrician–gynecologists and other maternity care professionals may individualize monitoring options for most routine parameters during pregnancy.