Big Gains Found in Washington, D.C., Prenatal Care

A new study shows that the District of Columbia, which a decade ago had one of the country's lowest rates of women receiving prenatal care, made dramatic improvements and now ranks close to the US average. Three-quarters of pregnant women in the District got prenatal care during their first trimester in 2000, up from 56 percent in 1990. The study, released last week, used data from the census bureau and CDC to illuminate urban and suburban racial and ethnic differences in economic and health status. The study also found that the Washington metropolitan area has a higher incidence of TB than the national average. The report notes that TB is increasingly concentrated among immigrants. Regionally, TB rates for those foreign-born rose 23 percent over the decade, more than triple the national rate of increase for cities.

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