What does this measure?
The proportion of births in which mothers initiated prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy (before 13 weeks gestation), broken down by mother's race or ethnicity.
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 Westchester County performing?
In general, early prenatal care rates among White mothers are higher than rates for African American and Hispanic mothers and mothers identifying as other racial/ethnic groups. In 2023, 65% of African American, 69% of Hispanic, and 75% of mothers in the other racial/ethnic group in Westchester County received early prenatal care, compared to 84% of White mothers. These rates are all higher than New York State and generally close to or slightly lower than Nassau and Putnam rates and above Rockland rates.
Since 2006, the rates of early prenatal care in Westchester have increased for all race/ethnicities except for Black or African Americans, which remained the same. The rate among mothers in the 'other' group increased 10 points, followed by Hispanic mothers with an increase of 7 points, and White mothers with an increase of 6 points. However, over the last decade (since 2013), the rate for all racial groups decreased with Hispanic mothers seeing the largest decrease of 7 percentage points.
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. The categories shown are those that are tracked by the state Health Department.
| Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Other | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 65% | 69% | 75% | 84% |
| Nassau County | 77% | 78% | 86% | 93% |
| Putnam County | 63% | 77% | 79% | 90% |
| Rockland County | 57% | 59% | 75% | 77% |
| New York State | 64% | 66% | 74% | 81% |
Notes: Percent of live births for which mothers received prenatal care beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy.
| Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | Other | White | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 65% | 62% | 65% | 78% |
| Nassau County | 71% | 68% | 81% | 86% |
| Putnam County | 87% | 73% | 75% | 86% |
| Rockland County | 58% | 50% | 51% | 68% |
| New York State | 67% | 67% | 68% | 78% |
Notes: Percent of live births for which mothers received prenatal care beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy.
| INDICATORS | TREND | WESTCHESTER |
|---|---|
| Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Infant Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care |
0
Maintaining
|
| Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Disengaged Youth, Ages 16 to 19 |
-1
Decreasing
|
| Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity | 10 Not Applicable* |
| Single Female-Headed Households |
-1
Decreasing
|
