27 percent of Portland moms breastfeed their babies for 6 months or longer, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s among the top 2 percent of cities in our survey.
Portland has more OB-GYNs than average, the highest in our survey.
State laws require stringent background checks for day-care workers.
88 percent of Portland mothers attempt breastfeeding. That’s the 2nd highest percentage of any city in our report.
Oregon devotes more money per capita than most states to child car seat check stations.
14.9 percent of births statewide are attended by midwives. That’s 99 percent more than average.
Compared with the number of babies born, Portland has 164 percent more lactation consultants than average. That’s the 3rd highest ratio in our survey.
Oregon allows greater dependent-related tax breaks than most.
Portland babies are 27 percent less likely than average to be born with low birth weight.
Portland has 168 percent more miles of stroller-friendly public pathways and trails than average for cities in our survey.
Portland has more fertility clinics per capita than average, but there are no state laws that require health insurers to cover fertility treatments, or even to offer such coverage.
According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Oregon is especially low.
Babies are 21 percent less likely than average to be born premature.
Portland has 22 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 9th highest in our survey.
Portland has plenty of high-risk pediatricians, 75 percent more than average and the 9th highest in our survey.
25 percent of babies in Oregon are born via C-section -- that rate is 8 percent less than average, and among the lowest in our survey.
Needs Improvement Most
8 percent of pregnant women here receive late or inadequate prenatal care. That’s the 6th worst score in our survey.
Portland has more fertility clinics per capita than average, but there are
no state laws that require health insurers to cover fertility treatments, or
even to offer such coverage.
There are only 4 licensed commercial day-care centers for every 1,000 children under 4 years. That’s 41 percent less than average.
Almost 11 percent of Portland mothers smoke during pregnancy. That’s 23 percent higher than our 50-city average.
User Comments:
my first thought on the daycares was that's because we actually care about our children... (View Full Comments)
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27 percent of Portland moms breastfeed their babies for 6 months or longer, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s among the top 2 percent of cities in our survey.
