The long-term outcomes of Thrive by Three include:
1. Increased percentage of young mothers getting prenatal care in the first trimester
2. Decreased percentage of babies being born preterm and babies born at low birthweight
- The percentage of pregnant people who went to at least 10 prenatal care visits is highest among those on Medi-Cal.
- The percentage of babies born with low birth weight has been decreasing since 2015.
Mothers Who Received Prenatal Care
Babies born to mothers who do not receive prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die than those born to mothers who do get care. Early prenatal care (i.e. care in the first trimester of a pregnancy) allows women and their health care providers to identify and, when possible, treat or correct health problems and health-compromising behaviors that can be particularly damaging during the initial stages of fetal development.
Low Birthweight
Babies born with low birth weight are more likely than babies of normal weight to have health problems and require specialized medical care in the neonatal intensive care unit. Low birth weight is typically caused by premature birth and fetal growth restriction, both of which are influenced by a mother's health and genetics.