By examining prenatal care opportunities and health resources for low-income families, this paper investigates both the extent to which available health care in Virginia emphasizes a preventive approach and the extent to which Virginia's medically needy children have access to medical care. Statistics indicate that, as compared with the country as a whole, Virginia has problems in the area of infant health. An examination of neonatal and infant mortality rates reveals that for certain areas within Virginia problems with infant health are even more severe than for the state in general. Inadequate prenatal care for teenage and nonwhite mothers contributes substantially to this problem. Access to health care and health care information is blocked by many different barriers. These barriers are economic, attitudinal, and for many rural low-income children and families, physical. Preventable and potentially disabling conditions should be treated through primary preventive services, but to do so requires both access to services and prompt early treatment. At this time of diminished federal resources for indigent health care, providers and advocates must turn to strategies which (1) maximize the quantity and quality of client access to existing health care resources and (2) stress the development of new resources. (RH)