New evidence on the scope of effects related to prenatal care: Implications for payment policy and further research

Evidence from the study indicates that prenatal care is in several respects associated with the joint production of both infant and maternal health, with effects that often extend beyond delivery. Payment policy toward coverage of prenatal care therefore ought to take cognizance of these tied and extended effects. While the study adjusted for selection into post-delivery hospitalization, additional research needs to explore more deeply the pathways of selection into prenatal care, and the pathways by which prenatal care affects outcomes. On both of these accounts, the estimates of benefits of prenatal care were likely conservative.