Definition
Number of live births to pregnant women who did not receive prenatal care at any time during this pregnancy as a percentage of the total number of live births.Numerator
Number of live births to pregnant women who received no prenatal careDenominator
Total number of live birthsWhy Is This Important?
Women who receive early and consistent prenatal care increase their likelihood of giving birth to a healthy child. Health care providers recommend that women begin prenatal care in the first trimester of their pregnancy.How Are We Doing?
The proportion of live births with no prenatal care (PNC) is significantly higher among infants of Black mothers, unmarried mothers, mothers who use tobacco during pregnancy, and mothers who are on Medicaid.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
New Jersey's no prenatal care rate (1.8%) is slightly below that of the nation as a whole (2.0%).What Is Being Done?
The [http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/ Division of Family Health Services] in the New Jersey Department of Health administers programs to enhance the health, safety and well-being of families and communities in New Jersey. Several programs are aimed at improving birth outcomes.