DALLAS (KDAF) — Giving birth is a major medical event, for both the mother and the baby — but in some states, expecting mothers are more likely to encounter high childbirth costs, a shortage of obstetricians and gynecologists, and increased risks during delivery.
So, how does Texas rank?
Forbes Advisor compared all 50 states across five key metrics, including infant and maternal mortality rates by state, and found that Texas ranked number 11 among worst states to have a baby.
Texas has an infant mortality rate of 5.43 per 1,000 live births and a 28.1 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births.
Here are the top 5 worst states to have a baby:
- Arkansas: Arkansas has the highest maternal mortality rate (43.5 deaths per 100,000 live births) and the second highest infant mortality rate (7.88 deaths per 1,000 live births).
- South Dakota: South Dakota has the third highest cost of childbirth with health insurance ($2,577 on average) and the sixth highest infant mortality rate (7.05 deaths per 1,000 live births).
- Alaska: Alaska has the fourth highest cost of childbirth without health insurance or through an out-of-network provider ($42,180 median cost) and the seventh highest cost of childbirth with health insurance ($2,473 on average).
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma has the second highest cost of childbirth with health insurance ($2,598 on average) and the state is projected to have the fourth lowest percentage of need met for obstetricians and gynecologists in 2030 (66.1%).
- Tennessee: Tennessee has the third highest maternal mortality rate (41.7 deaths per 100,000 live births) and the fifth highest cost of childbirth with health insurance ($2,507 on average).