State-specific trends among women who did not receive prenatal care--United States, 1980-1992.

Lack of prenatal care is strongly associated with an increased risk for low birthweight (< 2500 g [< 5 lbs 8 oz] at birth) infants, preterm delivery, and maternal and infant mortality (1). From 1980 through 1992, the nationally aggregated percentage of pregnant women who did not receive prenatal care increased by 31%--from 1.3% to 1.7% (2,3). Because nationally aggregated data can obscure variations among states, CDC analyzed state-specific data derived from birth certificates for 1980-1992 to examine trends among women who did not receive prenatal care. This report summarizes the findings of the analysis.