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. The percentage of women receiving prenatal care during the first three months of pregnancy has increased over the past two decades for white, black, and Hispanic women. While the gains have been greatest for black and Hispanic women, white women are still the most likely to receive prenatal care in their first trimester. Increasing the number of women who receive prenatal care, and who do so early in their pregnancies, can improve birth outcomes and lower health care costs by reducing the likelihood of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.