Maryland ranks 10th nationally for women’s health in SmileHub’s 2026 report, released February 3 by the nonprofit technology company. The analysis evaluated all 50 states using 18 key metrics across three dimensions: health and living standards, health care policies and support systems, and safety risk. Maryland earned a total score of 68.04, placing it behind New Hampshire (9th, 68.53) and ahead of Washington (11th, 65.73). Massachusetts topped the list overall.
SmileHub highlighted Maryland’s strong performance in safety, ranking fifth in that category. Safety metrics factored in rates of suicide, depression, and rape victimization among women. This bolstered the state’s position despite a lower showing in health care policies and support systems, where it placed 14th. That category included indicators such as quality of women’s hospitals and the percentage of women ages 18 to 44 with at least one personal doctor or health care provider. Maryland ranked 12th in health and living standards.
Jessica Lee, an OB-GYN and associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, attributed part of the strong safety ranking to the state’s maternal mortality review committee. The committee identifies trends and warning signs to inform prevention efforts. Lee also emphasized reproductive health access as a key factor.
“Maryland makes it easy for a person to manage their desire to be pregnant in whatever way they wish,” Lee said, “making sure that contraception is a covered benefit to anyone on state Medicaid, as well as any private insurer that operates in the state, as well as the ability to access abortion care services for anyone, pretty easily, within the state.”
Maryland’s contraceptive policies stand out regionally and nationally. The Maryland Contraceptive Equity Act, enacted more than a decade ago, mandates that state-regulated insurance plans cover all FDA-approved prescription contraception without co-pays. It also permits physicians to dispense up to 12 months of contraceptives at one visit.
“That is hugely a game changer for keeping people protected against pregnancy if they want to be,” Lee said. “If I can hand them 12 months of birth control at the time of seeing them, that was a game changer for me.”
Voters reinforced reproductive rights in November 2024, when more than 75 percent approved a constitutional amendment enshrining access to abortion and other reproductive freedoms. This built on existing state laws protecting such care amid national debates.
The SmileHub ranking reflects data-driven insights into factors influencing women’s health outcomes, with implications for Southern Maryland residents who access care through facilities like the University of Maryland system and local providers in Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s counties. Strong safety and policy supports contribute to better overall well-being in a state where women benefit from comprehensive coverage mandates and review processes aimed at reducing preventable risks.
The report’s methodology drew from publicly available sources to score states objectively, allowing comparisons that highlight areas of strength and opportunity. Maryland’s top-10 placement underscores ongoing investments in women’s health infrastructure, particularly in reproductive autonomy and mental health safety nets.