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What's Good

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

•At $63, the average doctor's office visit here is the lowest in our survey, compared to a national average of $82.

•According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Memphis is 26 percent more affordable than average for cities in our survey.

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

•There are 9.0 licensed day care centers for every 1,000 children under 4 years. The average city in our survey has 5.9.

Needs Improvement

•Compared to other states, Tennessee has among the least generous family-leave and disability laws in our survey.

•According to data from the CDC, maternal mortality in Tennessee is especially high.

•The CDC reports very high infant mortality rates for Tennessee.

•Memphis babies are 34 percent more likely than average to be born with low birth weight.

•Babies here are 25 percent more likely than average to be born prematurely.

•20 percent of pregnant women here receive late or inadequate prenatal care. That's the 1st worst score in our survey, compared to an average of 5 percent.

•Memphis has one doula for every 2,329 live births, the 2nd lowest ratio in our survey. The national average is one doula per 649 live births.

•Memphis has 6 midwives for every 1,000 births, the 2nd lowest in our survey. The national average is 37 midwives for every 1,000 births.

•Memphis has 11 lactation consultants for every 10,000 live births, the 9th lowest ratio in our survey. The average city in our survey has 23 lactation consultants per 10,000 live births.

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

•There are far fewer advanced fertility clinics per capita than average here, the 2nd lowest ratio in our survey.

•Memphis has only 3 licensed home day cares for every 1,000 children under 4 years, the 3rd lowest in our survey. The average city in our survey has 13.

•There are no state laws requiring day care workers to undergo special SIDS prevention training. Many other states mandate such training.

•Memphis's violent crime rate is 94 percent higher than average, the 3rd highest in our survey, in fact.

•Memphis has a 51 percent higher property crime rate than average, the 3rd highest in our survey.

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