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Over the last few decades, measurement and reporting of health care quality outcomes have grown significantly. As health care evolves, it is important to continue to monitor and report on the quality of care delivered to patients in California and across the US. This is part of a series of measures CHCF is publishing on the quality of care in our state. Topics range from maternal to end-of-life care, and include measures on behavioral health, chronic conditions, and providers.
This set of quality measures focuses on maternal health and childbirth.
California mothers / birthing people* of all races/ethnicities received adequate prenatal care at rates below the Healthy People 2030 target.
Prenatal care can improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy and delivery. In 2021, about three in four mothers / birthing people in California (73.2%) received adequate prenatal care, below the federal government’s Healthy People 2030 target of 80.5%.**
Black infants had a higher infant mortality rate than infants of other races/ethnicities.
In 2020, the infant mortality rate for Black infants was more than double the overall California rate. Only Asian, White, and Latino/x infants had mortality rates below the Healthy People 2030 target of 5.0 deaths per 1,000 live births.*
Black mothers / birthing people had a higher pregnancy-related mortality rate than mothers / birthing people of other races/ethnicities.
From 2018 to 2020, Black mothers / birthing people died from pregnancy-related causes at rates three times higher than mothers / birthing people of other races/ethnicities.
The companion Excel data file is available for download below. These materials are part of CHCF’s California Health Care Almanac, an online clearinghouse for key data and analyses describing the state’s health care landscape. To see past editions of this almanac, contact us.
*Birthing people is used to recognize that not all people who become pregnant and give birth identify as women or mothers.
**Healthy People 2030 sets data-driven national objectives to improve health and well-being over the next decade (see www.healthypeople.gov).
Authors & Contributors
Jen Joynt
Jen Joynt is an independent health care consultant based in Berkeley, California. Her areas of expertise include quality of care; hospital organization, strategy, and operations; health care workforce trends; and the California health care marketplace. She has authored several reports and policy briefings.
