A new federal report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that early prenatal care is on the decline, with the share of U.S. births to women who began prenatal care in the first trimester dropping from 78.3% in 2021 to 75.5% in 2024. While starting care later in pregnancy or receiving no care at all has been on the rise, the number of women starting prenatal care has also increased. The decrease in early prenatal treatment was higher for moms in minority groups, particularly those of African mothers. The report does not provide reasons for the change, but it highlights the proliferation of maternity care deserts across the nation, which are causing concern among doctors.