›› The Right Start 2002

Healthy births to caring, prepared parents are fundamental to success in life. On February 5th of 2002, the Anne E. Casey Foundation released its report,The Right Start for America's Newborns: A Decade of City and State Trends (1990-1999).

The Right Start shows that South Carolina and the nation have made improvements on many measures of healthy births to caring, prepared parents during the 1990's. This should come as no surprise in South Carolina, since governors Riley, Campbell, Beasley, and Hodges have made healthy births a priority and have enlisted the collaborative efforts of state and local organizations. There is much to celebrate and much remaining to accomplish.

The good news is:

• Fewer births to teens;
• Fewer second births to teens;
• Fewer births to undereducated mothers;
• Fewer births with little or no prenatal care;
• Fewer births to mothers who smoked during pregnancy.

The bad news is:

• More births to unmarried mothers;
• More low birthweight babies;
• More premature (pre-term) births.

South Carolina and U.S. Rankings

	SC % Rate	US % Rate	SC/US	SC Rank
Births to teens (% all births)	15.8	12.3	1.28	44
Second (or more) births to teens	20.4	21.2	0.96	27
Births to unmarried mothers	39.0	33.0	1.18	47
Births to mothers without 12 years education	21.6	21.7	1.00	36
Late or no prenatal care	4.7	3.8	1.24	43
Births to mothers smoking during pregnancy	12.8	12.6	1.06	23
Low birthweight	9.8	7.6	1.29	48
Pre-term births (less than 37 weeks of gestation)	13.9	11.8	1.18	46

South Carolina Rankings

	1990	1999
Births to teens	43	44
Second (or more) births to teens	43	27
Births to unmarried mothers	43	47
Births to mothers without high school education	35	36
Late or no prenatal care	44	43
Births to mothers smoking during pregnancy	21	24
Low birthweight	47	48
Pre-term births	43	46
Average	40	39

South Carolina's ranking failed to improve much because other states have made similar progress. During the 1990's, South Carolina improved its ranking significantly only for repeat births to teen mothers, with a 1990 ranking of 43rd and a 1999 ranking of 27th. However, South Carolina ranked 43rd or worse on 5 of the 8 indicators in 1999, with an average rank of 39th. This has improved slightly from an average of 40th in 1990, almost entirely because of the improvement in repeat teen births.

South Carolina's progress has been achieved through hard work by many dedicated persons. Some highlights have been:

• Strong public-private partnerships to improve access to prenatal care, increase the number of medical homes for children, and immunize children;
• Effective community-based adolescent pregnancy prevention programs and family planning services;
• Increased enrollment of children in the Partners for Healthy Children health insurance and Medicaid programs.

In order to continue our progress and to overcome the increasing problems with low birthweight and pre-term births, we must 1) promote healthy lifestyles among women during pregnancy and pre-conception periods; 2) improve mothers' access to early, risk-appropriate prenatal care and nutrition programs; and 3) encourage the formation of strong viable families who deeply want and are committed to raise healthy, successful children.

Regrettably, the current state fiscal crisis and budget cuts endanger our noteworthy progress over the past decade. Elected officials and other decision-makers should do everything in their power to sustain South Carolina's progress in assuring the right start for every baby born in the state.

View South Carolina Right Start County Ranking Sheets