Fewer pregnant Americans are receiving prenatal care in the first weeks of pregnancy, reversing years of progress, according to new CDC data. This raises the risk of preventable complications for mothers and babies. First-trimester prenatal care rose from 77.1% of U.S. births in 2016 to 78.3% in 2021, but then dropped to 75.5% in 2024. Late or no care increased in at least 36 states and D.C. in the same period, rising nationally from 6.3%. This shift includes a shift across all age group and nearly all racial and ethnic groups. The report does not identify causes, but growing maternity care deserts and insurance coverage gaps are a concern for patients and providers.