South Carolina among worst states to have a baby, new report shows. Here’s where it ranks and why
South Carolina is the third worst state to have a baby, a new study shows.
Having a baby is usually a cause for celebration, but often it can lead to stress and financial hardship. Compound that with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the differences in health care accessibility among states and for many, having a baby can become a daunting task.
WalletHub, a major personal finance website, ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia in its new report on best places to have a baby. Meanwhile, some health experts explain work and programs underway to address pregnancy health care disparities in South Carolina.
South Carolina was only behind Mississippi and Alabama for states that were considered the worst for having a baby. Massachusetts took the spot as the best state.
To determine the most ideal places in the U.S., the report analyzes 32 key measures of cost, health care accessibility and baby friendliness. The data set ranges from hospital conventional delivery charges to annual infant care costs to pediatricians per capita. Data was pulled from organizations such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. News and World Report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center for Children in Poverty and the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Here is a list of where South Carolina ranked among the most significant metrics that helped determine its total ranking in the report.
28th — Hospital Cesarean delivery charges
25th — Hospital conventional delivery charges
17th — Average annual cost of early child care
40th — Infant mortality rate
47th — Rate of low birth weight
45th — Midwives and OB-GYNs per capita
45th — Pediatricians and family medicine physicians per capita
23rd — Childcare centers per capita
38th — Parental leave policy score
Dr. Kacey Eichelberger of Greenville and chair of OB/GYN for Prisma Health, said the health organization is committed to providing the highest quality prenatal and maternal care to infants and mothers in the communities it serves in the state. Prisma Health hospitals deliver approximately 15,000 babies annually.
“In rural areas of the state, we have dedicated resources to improve access to care for mothers and families. Prisma Health’s maternal-fetal medicine experts are making significant strides in supporting healthy pregnancies and births in South Carolina,” Eichelberger said.
Eichelberger noted that Richland Hospital and Greenville Memorial Hospital have advanced neonatal intensive care units that serve as regional referral centers for complex births.
“Programs like Prisma Health’s Centering Pregnancy and Midlands Healthy Start help connect expectant mothers with prenatal care and parenting education, while partnerships like our Moms in Control program in Sumter and Greenville help expectant mothers manage diabetes risk,” she said. “Prisma Health’s midwifery program is providing lower intervention birthing options to expectant mothers.”
Steven Meyers, professor and chair of psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago, said there are steps and initiatives area officials can take to make their cities more baby-friendly.
“Some are investments in the built environment, such as parks, playgrounds and public libraries,” Meyers said. “Other investments are in local education systems … early intervention programs to assist at-risk children are especially important in improving long-term outcomes.”
Here is a list of the 10 worst states to have a baby, according to WalletHub.
Alabama
Mississippi
South Carolina
Louisiana
Georgia
Arkansas
West Virginia
Oklahoma
Nevada
Florida
Here is a list of the 10 best states to have a baby.
Massachusetts
Vermont
Rhode Island
Minnesota
New Hampshire
Connecticut
Washington
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Utah
