Births to Mothers with Medicaid Coverage: 2005

This report finds that babies born to mothers in Connecticut’s Medicaid program are at risk for poor birth outcomes. Compared to all other babies in Connecticut, rates for low birthweight, preterm, and teen births were higher for babies born to mothers covered by HUSKY A and fee for service Medicaid compared to all other babies born in Connecticut. Mothers in HUSKY A were less likely than other mothers to have early and adequate prenatal care. Among births in 2005, 15% of HUSKY A mothers smoked during pregnancy. However, Connecticut is one of eight states that does not cover treatment for tobacco dependence in its Medicaid program.