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

In 2022, in Worcester County, rates of early prenatal care were lower among Black and African American births (76%) compared to Hispanic and Latino (82%), White (87%) and Asian (88%) births. Worcester County rates among all groups were higher than those at the state and national levels, particularly among Latino births which were lower at the state (74%) and nation (69%).

Rates of prenatal care have held fairly steady for all groups between 2016 and 2022, with the exception of Asian births which increased by six percentage points.

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 were 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.

The rate excludes 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.