After shelter-in-place orders came into effect, there was considerable speculation that a “coronavirus baby boom” might emerge nine months later.

The idea of couples resorting to sexual activity under circumstances that confine them to close quarters and impose limitations on other activities is an alluring one, according to Psychology Today, but is this a realistic speculation? Will we see a baby boom or a baby bust?

With the COVID-19 pandemic making birthing more stressful than usual and the average conventional delivery costing more than $10,000, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020’s Best & Worst States to Have a Baby.

California ranks fifth for its infant mortality rate, sixth for it parental-leave policy score and ninth for its rate of low birth-weight.

To determine the most ideal places in the U.S. for parents and their newborns, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 32 key measures of cost, health care accessibility and baby-friendliness. The data set ranges from hospital conventional-delivery charges to annual average infant-care costs to pediatricians per capita.

Having a Baby in California (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

  • 36th – Hospital Cesarean-Delivery Charges
  • 35th – Hospital Conventional-Delivery Charges
  • 45th – Avg. Annual Cost of Early Child Care
  • 36th – Midwives & OB-GYNs per Capita
  • 36th – Pediatricians & Family Doctors per Capita
  • 42nd – Child-Care Centers per Capita
  • 19th – WalletHub “States with the Best Health Infrastructure for Coronavirus” Score

Find  out which state is the best to have a baby in this video:

Having a baby is both a joyful and stressful occasion – but the stress side is more amplified in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnant women might have an increased risk of severe illness or birth complications due to coronavirus, according to the CDC. In addition, due to social distancing, some mothers may receive less after-birth support from friends and family.

Aside from the difficulty of giving birth during a public health crisis, new mothers will also have to worry about the cost. One of the biggest expenses to keep in mind is medical bills., according to WalletHub, The average conventional delivery in the U.S. costs over $10,000. Whether or not you have insurance naturally plays a big role as well.

For the full report, click here.

Image Sources

  • Infant: Pixaby