Arkansas

The state of Arkansas is in the southern region of the United States bounded by the great Mississippi River on its east, with the Ozark and Ouachita Mountain ranges nestled within its territory. Motherhood in Arkansas will be examined by looking at vital statistics, fertility, mortality, and health status in order to provide a detailed understanding of the status of women in the state. Famous Arkansan mothers include author and poet Maya Angelou, actress Mary Steenburgen, Watergate player Martha Mitchell, and composer Florence Beatrice Price.

Arkansas has a population of over 2.8 million, of which 96 percent are native-born Arkansans. The racial/ethnic makeup of the state is 80 percent white, 16 percent black, 1 percent Native American/Alaskan Native, 1.5 percent Asian/Pacific Islander, and 5 percent Hispanic/Latino. Eighty-one percent of those aged 25 or older have attained the level of high school graduate (or equivalent) or higher. The median household income for the state is reported as $37,555.

Females comprise 51 percent of the total Arkansas population with the majority being 18 years of age or older. Of females aged 15 years or older, 51.1 percent report their status as married and 51.3 percent of Arkansas households are married-couple family households. However, 7.8 percent of Arkansas households are identified as female-headed households with no husband present, and with children under 18. Forty-eight percent of these households have incomes below the poverty level. On average, the median earnings for female, fulltime year-round workers are 75 percent of that of males. The divorce rate stands at 6.1 percent.

The mean age of an Arkansan woman having her first child is 23 years. The overall birth rate for the state is 14.6 percent, with a teen (15–19) birth rate of 62.3 percent. The fertility rate for women ages 15–44 is 72.2 percent. Eighty percent of mothers begin prenatal care in the first trimester and only 4.7 percent of mothers begin prenatal care late or not at all. The rate of caesarean delivery is 33.2 percent and 13.7 percent of births are delivered preterm. It is estimated that 9.2 percent of births are of low-birth-weight babies. The infant mortality rate stands at 8.3 percent.

When it comes to caring for mothers and their infants, the Arkansas Department of Health offers information on a variety of programs. There is in-depth coverage of breastfeeding, offering information, resources, and links to organizations where mothers can gain additional knowledge and assistance. Mothers are also provided with information regarding licensed midwifes, newborn screening, [Page 74]immunization, healthy eating for mother and baby, keeping children safe, and breast cancer screening. Mothers are also given information about government-funded programs such as Women, Infants & Children (WIC). Another service offered by the Arkansas Department of Health is the Mother/Infant Program. According to the department's Website, this program provides skilled home nursing visits for new mothers and infants to meet their medical, social and nutritional needs. Additionally, women are offered services such as family planning information, pregnancy testing, and sterilization options. Arkansas women are also supplied with a directory of abortion services available in each of the state's counties.

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