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What's Good

•According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Minnesota is especially low.

•Minnesota allows greater dependent-related tax breaks than most.

•The CDC reports very low infant mortality rates for Minnesota.

•Babies here are 14 percent less likely than average to be born prematurely.

•21 percent of babies in Minnesota are born via Cesarean section, among the lowest in our survey. The average is 27 percent.

•Minnesota has particularly progressive laws guaranteeing a nursing mother the right to breastfeed in public.

•16.1 percent of Minneapolis 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 the 8th highest scoring city in this category. The average for our survey is 12 percent.

•Minneapolis has one doula for every 37 live births, the highest ratio in our survey. The national average is one doula per 649 live births.

•Minneapolis has 42 midwives for every 1,000 births, the 6th highest in our survey. The national average is 37 midwives for every 1,000 births.

•There are more advanced fertility clinics per capita than average here, the 5th highest ratio in our survey.

•There are 24 percent more fertility doctors per capita here than average-the 4th highest ratio in our survey.

•Minneapolis has 4.8 NICU facilities per 10,000 births, 10th highest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 3.4 NICU facilities per 10,000 live births.

•Minneapolis has more OB-GYNs than average, the 10th highest in our survey.

•Minneapolis has 39 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 2nd highest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 13.

Needs Improvement

•Hospital costs here are among the highest in our survey.

•Not much can be done about the weather, but the local climate can be extreme -- not conducive to getting out and working off pregnancy weight gain.

•State laws do not require health insurance companies to provide or offer any fertility-related services.

•In a comparison of inspection schedules for day-care centers, Minnesota requires less frequent visits than average.

•There are just 4.6 licensed day care centers for every 1,000 children under 4 years. The average city in our survey has 5.9.

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