ATLANTA — The 2025 March of Dimes Report Card gave the state an F in preterm births. Georgia ranks 45th out of 52 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, for preterm birth rates.
The report highlights systemic inequities in health outcomes based on race, ethnicity and insurance type. Georgia’s preterm birth rate stands at 11.8%, above the national average of 10.4%, indicating persistent challenges in maternal and infant health within the state.
The March of Dimes Report Card provides a comprehensive overview of maternal and infant health indicators, including preterm birth rates, infant mortality and maternal health conditions. It emphasizes the role of systemic inequities in shaping health outcomes, particularly among different racial and ethnic groups.
The March of Dimes report said Georgia had 7.0 baby deaths per every 1,000 live births, a statistic that has remained the same over the past decade. In 2023, 874 babies died before their first birthday. In this statistic, Georgia ranks 43rd out of 52.
In Georgia, 14,907 babies were born preterm in 2024, contributing to the state’s low ranking. Despite this, Georgia has made strides in reducing low-risk cesarean births, reflecting some progress in maternal health practices. Moms died in 30.4 out of 100,000 live births, also an improvement.
The report also examines the impact of supportive policies and programs, such as Medicaid expansion and doula reimbursement, which are crucial for advancing equity in maternal and infant health. Georgia has implemented three out of six recommended initiatives, highlighting ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes.
Disparities in preterm birth rates are evident when analyzed by race and insurance type, with significant differences observed among various groups.
For instance, the lowest preterm birth rate was seen in Asian births, 9.7% were born preterm, followed by Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, White, Pacific Islander and Black. According to the data, 15.1% of Black births were preterm.
The report serves as a call to action to address these disparities and improve health equity across the state and nation.
In a statement to Channel 2 Action News, the Georgia Department of Public Health responded to the maternal health report.
“Healthy mothers have healthy babies, and we know that many causes of infant death stem from the mother’s overall health. For that reason, DPH has been diligently working to create and strengthen existing programs to help ensure healthy mothers, healthy pregnancies, and healthy babies,” the spokesperson said.
Those programs include the DPH Home Visiting Program for mothers and infants most at need, Regional Perinatal Centers “to ensure all mothers and infants receive care at a facility that can provide the appropriate level of care to meet their needs” and Safe to Sleep to address sleep-related deaths.
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