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Print This PageBaltimore, MD
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What's Good
- State laws require health insurance companies to provide or offer at least some coverage for fertility-related services.
- Baltimore has lots of NICU beds, 266 percent more than average, highest in our survey.
- Maryland stands out in a measure of legislation related to cord blood education, research and related issues.
- There are 10 licensed day care centers for every 1,000 children under 4 years. That's 61 percent more than average.
- State laws require stringent background checks for day-care workers.
- Baltimore has plenty of high-risk pediatricians, 141 percent more than average and the 2nd highest in our survey.
- 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: Baltimore has 85 percent more public parks than average, relative to population.
- Baltimore has 29 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 5th highest in our survey.
- Relative to the number of live births per year, Baltimore has 23 percent more doulas than average--that figure is the 7th highest in our survey.
- Midwifery is more widely available than most cities, with 14 percent more midwives than average.
Needs Improvement
- 10.6 percent of Baltimore mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively (meaning no solids, formula or other liquids) for 6 months or longer as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That's among the bottom 18 percent of cities in our survey.
- The CDC reports very high infant mortality rates for Maryland.
- According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Maryland is especially high.
- By six months of age, 72 percent of Baltimore babies aren't being breastfed at all. That's the 5th worst faring of any city in our report.
- Just 56 percent of Baltimore mothers attempt breastfeeding. That's the 3rd lowest percentage of any city in our report. Moms here are 24 percent less likely than average to try breastfeeding.
- Baltimore babies are 52 percent more likely than average to be born with low birth weight.
- Babies here are 27 percent more likely than average to be born prematurely.
- Maryland devotes less money relative to population than most states to child car-seat-check stations.
- Maryland has no provisions for dependent related tax breaks.
- Baltimore families are less likely than average to be able to afford a median-priced home.
- Baltimore's violent crime rate is 78 percent higher than average, the 2nd highest in our survey, in fact.
- Women in Baltimore are 60 percent more likely than average to smoke during pregnancy. That's the 8th highest rate in our survey. Nationwide, about 1 out of every 12 pregnant women smokes.
