MS is one of the worst states to have a baby in 2026, new study finds. Where it ranks & why
From the length of paid leave from work to the cost of delivery, the experience of having a baby differs based on where you live when you give birth — and Mississippi ranks among the worst states to have a baby in 2026, according to a recent study.
The study by ConsumerAffairs, a research journal, analyzed data on maternal healthcare access, childbirth affordability, postpartum support and maternal and infant health outcomes across the U.S. to find the best and worst states to give birth in 2026.
“Whether a place is ‘safe’ for having a baby isn’t only about hospitals and clinics,” Jun Wu, professor of environmental and occupational health at University of California, Irvine, said in a June 3 news release. “The surrounding environment shapes the conditions a pregnancy unfolds in, and with it the health of both the pregnant person and the infant.”
Here’s why Mississippi is one of the harder states for childbirth, according to the study.
Why Mississippi ranks so low
The Magnolia State ranks fourth-worst state to give birth because of poor access to maternal healthcare and tough maternal and infant incomes, according to the ConsumerAffairs study.
More than half of the state’s counties, 51.2%, are maternity care deserts, and for every 100,000 women in the state there are about 55 maternal care providers, the data shows. That’s less than the national average of about 81 providers per 100,000 women.
The study also found that for every 100,000 women who give birth, about 60 died within the following year from pregnancy-related causes, and for every 1,000 live births there were about 10 infant deaths.
Which are the worst states to have a baby?
The worst states to have a baby are primarily Southern states and tend to struggle with healthcare access, childbirth affordability, postpartum and family support and maternal and infant health outcomes, the data shows.
These are the 10 worst states to have a baby, according to the ConsumerAffairs study:
1. West Virginia
2. Louisiana
3. Arkansas
4. Mississippi
5. Georgia
6. Florida
7. Alaska
8. Nevada
9. Alabama
10. Texas
Which are the best states to give birth in?
These are the top 10 best states to have a baby, according to the ConsumerAffairs study:
1. New Hampshire
2. Vermont
3. Massachusetts
4. Connecticut
5. Oregon
6. Minnesota
7. Maine
8. Washington D.C.
9. Rhode Island
10. Washington
How did research journal conduct study?
ConsumerAffairs analysts used a weighted scoring system to rank the best states for giving birth, according to the study.
The categories used were the following: maternal healthcare access, childbirth affordability, postpartum and family support and maternal and infant outcomes.
