Abstract
INTRODUCTION: This report describes trends in the timing of prenatal care initiation from 2016 (the first year for which national data are available) to 2024. Changes by maternal age, race and Hispanic origin, and late (beginning in the third trimester) or no care by state of residence also are shown from 2021 to 2024. METHODS: This report uses data from the natality data file from the National Vital Statistics System. The vital statistics natality file is based on information from birth certificates and includes information for all births occurring in the United States. The month in which prenatal care began is calculated from the "Date of the first prenatal visit" item on the birth certificate and the gestational age of the newborn based on the obstetric estimate of gestation. KEY FINDINGS: After increasing from 2016 (77.1%) to 2021 (78.3%), prenatal care beginning in the first trimester decreased to 75.5% in 2024. From 2021 to 2024, care beginning in the second trimester increased from 15.4% to 17.3% and late or no care increased from 6.3% to 7.3%. From 2021 to 2024, prenatal care beginning in the first trimester decreased, while care beginning in the second trimester and late and no care increased, for all maternal age groups. Over the same period, first trimester prenatal care decreased, while second trimester prenatal care and late and no care increased, for nearly all race and Hispanic-origin groups. From 2021 to 2024, late or no care increased in 36 states and the District of Columbia.