FILE – A doctor performs an ultrasound scan on a pregnant woman at a hospital in Chicago on Aug. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford, File); SOURCE: Teresa Crawford
Updated: 1:45 AM EST Feb 19, 2026; Editorial Standards ⓘ LAURA UNGAR
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 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday.
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%.
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