Alabama is one of the worst states to have a baby. That’s according to the financial website WalletHub. All fifty states and the District of Columbia were measured across thirty-two factors. This study shows the state falls in the bottom five of several categories such as family friendliness and healthcare accessibility. Jill Gonzalez is an analyst for WalletHub. She says there are things the state could improve on.
“It really needs improvement in a lot of these categories,” said Gonzales. “Everything from having more midwives and OB-GYNs and pediatricians per Capita to help make quality better and also lower cost. Also when we’re looking at things like infant and maternal mortality rates. That could be a lot better in Alabama.”
Gonzalez says it’s important for a state to have proper care for after a baby is born. The study included hospital delivery charges and annual infant costs. Baby-friendliness and healthcare were also factors. Jill Gonzalez is an analyst for WalletHub. She says there are many financial factors parents should consider before starting a family.
“Well even having a baby itself is costly,” Gonzalez observed. “The average conventional delivery in the US costs over $3,000 and that’s with insurance. Without insurance it costs around $10,000 and then obviously after infant care and childcare can really take up a lot of your income.”
Alabama ranked near the bottom of the Wallethub study for the number of low birth weight babies and overall infant mortality. The state also did poorly for parental leave policies.