Arkansas Maternal Health Scorecard
What is the Arkansas Maternal Health Scorecard?
The Arkansas Maternal Health Scorecard includes key metrics that can track state progress towards ensuring the wellbeing of mothers during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.
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Arkansas Births
In 2023, over 35,000 babies were born in Arkansas. Birth certificate data are comprehensive of all births in the state and provide information on select risk factors in pregnancy, obstetric procedures, and maternal and newborn outcomes.
Annual Births
35,264
(2023)
Low-Risk Cesarean Birth
Percent of low-risk births delivered via cesarean section, by year
26.9%
(2023)
Preterm Birth
Percent of babies born before 37 weeks gestation, by year
12.1%
(2023)
Maternal Mortality
The United States has the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries. The Arkansas Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) looks at each death of a woman that occurs during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum, to identify whether the death was related to pregnancy, what factors contributed, and how it could be prevented.
41
pregnancy-related deaths
per 100,000 live births
in Arkansas
(2018-2021)
1.2x
higher maternal mortality rate for
non-Hispanic Black women compared to
non-Hispanic White women
(2018-2021)
of pregnancy-related deaths
were considered preventable
by the Arkansas MMRC
(2018-2021)
Severe Maternal Morbidity
Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) is a measure of serious complications during birth that can result in significant short- or long-term health consequences for the mother. The CDC uses administrative records from in-hospital births to identify cases of severe maternal morbidity.
SMM Rate in Arkansas
per 10,000 live births
65.5
(2022)
1.9x
higher rate of SMM for non-Hispanic
Black women compared to non-Hispanic
White women
(2022)
Geographic disparity in SMM
SMM rate (per 10,000 live births) by rurality (2022)
Maternal Behaviors and Risks
Factors such as nutrition, substance use, mental and physical stress, and other socioeconomic factors impact maternal health. The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is an annual survey of postpartum women designed to measure these factors in each state and to identify groups of women and children at high risk for health problems.
Pregnancy Intention
Self-reported pregnancy intention among Arkansas mothers (2021)
Maternal Depression
Percent of Arkansas mothers reporting symptoms of postpartum depression
19.7%
(2021)
2.7%
of Arkansas women experienced
intimate partner violence (IPV)
during pregnancy
(2021)
Maternity Care Access
Maternity care access refers to the ability of expecting mothers to obtain essential health services during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The availability and location of healthcare and health insurance coverage contribute to maternity care access.
49
of Arkansas’ 75 counties do not have
labor and delivery services
(2023)
Insurance Coverage for Birth
Percent of Arkansas births paid by Medicaid and private insurers (2023)
0.8%
of births in Arkansas were attended
by a certified nurse-midwife
(2023)
