Having a baby can be the most wondrous and joyous time in a person’s life. It can also be one of the most stressful, especially during a worldwide pandemic.
Pregnant women might have an increased risk of severe illness or birth complications due to coronavirus, according to the CDC. In addition, social distancing might prevent new parents from getting support from family and friends.
Adding to that stress is the cost.
“One of the biggest expenses to keep in mind is medical bills,” financial website WalletHub wrote. “The average conventional delivery in the U.S. costs over $10,000. Whether or not you have insurance naturally plays a big role as well.”
Some states are better than others for adding to your family, however, To determine the best and worst states to have a baby, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across four key dimensions: cost, health care, baby friendliness and family friendliness.
The site then evaluated those dimensions using 32 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for expectant parents and newborns.
If you want your baby born in the best state, you’ll have to move to Massachusetts, which had a score of 68.81. Although 28th for cost, Massachusetts was No. 2 for health care and family friendliness, and No. 4 for baby friendliness.
By contrast, Alabama finished last, with a score of 25.25. Alabama was 38th for cost, 48th for health care, last for baby friendliness and 46th for family friendliness.
Georgia wasn’t much better. The Peach State finished No. 47, with a score of 30.17. Georgia was 27th for cost, 47th for health care, 42nd for baby friendliness and 42nd for family friendliness.
In addition, the state ranked:
- 45: infant mortality rate
- 48: rate of low birth weight
- 44: pediatricians and family coctors per capita
- 38: child care centers per capita
- 34: parental-leave policy score
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