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What's Good
- Women in Washington are 55 percent less likely than average to smoke during pregnancy. That's the 9th lowest rate in our survey. Nationwide, about 1 out of every 12 pregnant women smokes.
- The Family Health & Birth Center in Washington, DC, is one of 91 American Association of Birth Centers-accredited birthing centers in the nation.
- Air quality here is better here than most cities in our survey. Air quality has been linked to childhood asthma and fertility rates, among other health effects.
- Expecting and new moms have plenty of parks: Washington has 67 percent more public parks than average, relative to population.
- Midwifery is more widely available than most cities, with 8 percent more midwives than average.
- There are 20 percent more fertility doctors per capita here than average--the 10th highest ratio in our survey.
- There are many more fertility clinics per capita here than average.
- Washington has lots of NICU beds, 154 percent more than average, 2nd highest in our survey.
Needs Improvement
- Washington has no provisions for dependent related tax breaks.
- District laws require less-stringent day-care worker checks than most.
- 7 percent of pregnant women here receive late or inadequate prenatal care. That's the 11th worst score in our survey.
- Housing in Washington is less affordable than most places: When comparing household incomes to home values, a key measure of affordability, Washington has the 10th lowest ratio in our survey.
- Washington babies are 25 percent more likely than average to be born with low birth weight.
- Babies here are 14 percent more likely than average to be born prematurely.
- According to the Urban Mobility Report from Texas A&M University, Washington has one of the worst commutes of any city in our survey. It takes 51 percent longer to drive the same route during rush hour than in free-flowing traffic. That puts a lot more pressure on parents rushing to day care at the end of the day.
- Compared to the number of babies born, Washington has 78 percent fewer lactation consultants than average. That's the 3rd lowest ratio in our survey.
- DC lacks progressive laws guaranteeing a nursing mother the right to breastfeed in public.
- Just 2.2 percent of births districtwide are attended by midwives. That's 71 percent less than average.
- According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Washington is especially high.
- The CDC reports very high infant mortality rates for Washington.
- Washington's violent crime rate is 42 percent higher than average, the 10th highest in our survey, in fact.
- Relative to population, Washington has fewer specialty retailers of healthy/organic foods and vitamins than most places in our survey.
