›› Right Start 2005: South Carolina

In order for South Carolina to improve its ranking, each county must make progress. The following table for South Carolina shows the state rank, the required reduction to reach the national average, the current problem rate, and the ratio of the county problem rate to the US rate:

Indicators	SC Rank*	Reduction to reach US Average #	Current Number**	Current Rate* (%)	Rate: State / US Ratio*
Births to teens	43	1,657	7,474	13.8	1.27
Second or more births to teens	35	15	1,549	20.7	1.01
Births to unmarried moms	45	3,534	22,026	40.4	1.19
Births to moms without high school degree	33	**	11,322	20.8	0.97
Late or no prenatal care	41	607	2,530	4.7	1.30
Births to moms smoking while pregnant	27	884	7,078	13.0	1.19
Low birthweight	48	1,215	5,455	10.0	1.28
Pre-term births	47	1,436	7,847	14.7	1.21

* 2002 data as reported in the Right Start report.
** Average 2001-2003 data.
*** State is at or below national average already.

Annual Cost of Not Getting the "Right Start" in South Carolina*

Average Charges per Newborn			Number of Newborns		Excess Costs
Intermediate Low Birth Weight (excludes VLBW)	Very Low Birth Weight	Normal	Intermediate Low Birth Weight (excludes VLBW)	Very Low Birth Weight	Intermediate Low Birth Weight (excludes VLBW)	Very Low Birth Weight	Total
$16,544	$94,378	$2,109	4,373	1,089	$63,125,406	$100,481,910	$163,607,316

*Data is the average of three years: 2001-2003.

Sources:

Average Charges per Newborn computed using 2001 - 2003 South Carolina Hospital Billing Data, Office of Research and Statistics, South Carolina Budget and Control Board.

Number of Newborns taken from Vital Records, Birth Certificate Data, Department Health and Environmental Control.

Excess Costs computed by subtracting the average charge for a normal newborn from the average charge for a LBW newborn and multiplying by the number of LBW newborns.

Select Another County