Result 2. All children are healthy in mind, body and spirit
Indicator 2.2.4 % of pregnancies receiving late or no prenatal care
Current Value
15.0%
Definition
About the Data
This indicator includes all pregnancies resulting in a live birth. Late or no prenatal care is defined as care beginning in the third trimester or no prenatal care at all.
All quantitative data and narrative related to the data on this page was prepared by CI NOW for ReadyKidSA.
Why Is This Important?
Prenatal visits are important for the health of both infant and mother. Health care providers can educate mothers on important health issues, such as their diet and nutrition, exercise, immunizations, weight gain, and abstaining from drugs and alcohol. Health professionals also have an opportunity to instruct expecting parents on nutrition for their newborn, the benefits of breastfeeding, and injury and illness prevention, as well as monitor for health-compromising conditions, and help them prepare for the new emotional challenges of caring for an infant. Mothers who receive late (or no prenatal care are more likely to have babies with health problems. Mothers who do not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to give birth to a low-weight baby, and their baby is five times more likely to die. Prenatal care does not always address, and may not be as effective among, women with specific social and medical risks. (Child Trends Databank, 2016)
For more information see: http://www.childtrends.org/indicators/late-or-no-p...
Race/Ethnicity
Prenatal Care by Race/Ethnicity for Bexar County, 2024
| Asian | Black or African American | Hispanic or Latino | White | |||||
|
|
Est. | % | Est. | % | Est. | % | Est. | % |
| Late or No Care |
53 |
5.6% |
273 |
14.8% |
3,265 |
18.1% |
366 |
6.9% |
| Third Trimester |
41 |
4.4% |
225 |
12.2% |
2,879 |
16.0% |
279 |
5.3% |
| None |
12 |
1.3% |
48 |
2.6% |
386 |
2.1% |
87 |
1.6% |
| Second Trimester |
125 |
13.3% |
288 |
15.6% |
2,455 |
13.6% |
502 |
9.5% |
| First Trimester |
738 |
78.5% |
1,249 |
67.7% |
11,949 |
66.2% |
4,350 |
82.4% |
| Unknown |
23 |
2.4% |
34 |
1.8% |
379 |
2.1% |
62 |
1.2% |
| Live Births |
940 |
1,844 |
18,048 |
5,280 |
||||
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics, Natality public-use data 2024, on CDC WONDER Online Database, June 2026.
Prenatal Care by age of mother for Bexar County, 2024
| 15-17 | 18-19 | 20-29 | 30-39 | 40 and up | ||||||
|
|
Est. | % | Est. | % | Est. | % | Est. | % | Est. | % |
|
Late or No Care |
142 |
39.2% |
260 |
25.7% |
2,241 |
16.9% |
1,265 |
11.2% |
105 |
11.7% |
|
Third Trimester |
121 |
33.4% |
223 |
22.0% |
1,970 |
14.9% |
1,051 |
9.3% |
84 |
9.3% |
|
None |
21 |
5.8% |
37 |
3.7% |
271 |
2.0% |
214 |
1.9% |
21 |
2.3% |
|
Second Trimester |
65 |
18.0% |
196 |
19.4% |
1,853 |
14.0% |
1,257 |
11.2% |
98 |
10.9% |
|
Early Care-First trimester |
143 |
39.5% |
522 |
51.6% |
8,867 |
66.9% |
8,540 |
75.9% |
685 |
76.2% |
|
Unknown |
12 |
3.3% |
34 |
3.4% |
288 |
2.2% |
189 |
1.7% |
11 |
1.2% |
|
Live Births |
362 |
|
1,012 |
|
13,249 |
|
11,251 |
|
899 |
|
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Division of Vital Statistics, Natality public-use data 2024, on CDC WONDER Online Database, June 2026. *Data is suppressed.
Geographic Distribution
Late or No Prenatal Care by zip code, 2023
Story Behind the Curve
|
What factors are pushing up on the data?
|
What factors are pushing down on the data?
|
Partners
|
|
What Works
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Evidence-Based Practices
|
Promising Practices
|
|
No Cost/Low Cost
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Outside the Box Thinking
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Solutions and Strategies
Direct Service
- To increase access to segments of the community where the uninsured rates are high, implement mobile health care clinics (at areas of work, school, or in neighborhood settings)
- Through a culturally competent outreach campaign that incudes Public Service Announcements, help connect the importance of Prenatal care to expectant mothers and partners
- Because the data shows that one segment of the population who receive late or no prenatal are older mothers, and because it can present a barrier for women who might otherwise attend appointments, provide sibling care in clinics during prenatal visits
- Provide prenatal visits on an extended hour basis for women who work jobs with non-traditional hours; additionally, use telehealth, home visits, or mobile clinics as alternative methods for women who are accessing prenatal care
Policy
- Assess the current Medicaid application/re-application process and then streamline it, thereby making it less burdensome
- Encourage employers to adopt a leniency policy for women who miss work due to prenatal visits
- Address the cost of co-pays
System Change
- To instill in residents across the region a better understanding about the development of the human body from its youngest stages, which can help to build awareness about the importance of prenatal care as well as early childhood development, incorporate a gradually sophisticated human development component into the sciences from Pre-K through 12th grade that aligns with health TEKS
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