Georgia Fails Another Preterm Birth Rate Report

Georgia received an F grade for its preterm birth rate in the March of Dimes’ 2025 Report Card, placing the state among the lowest-ranked in the country for maternal and infant health.

The report, released on World Prematurity Day, shows Georgia’s preterm birth rate held at 11.8% in 2024, the same as the previous year. Preterm birth — delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy — remains one of the most common causes of infant death. The United States as a whole earned a D+, with a national rate of 10.4%.

Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer for March of Dimes, told Axios the lack of progress nationwide should sound alarms. “It’s deeply frustrating,” he said, adding that the country has long known the major risk factors for preterm birth, including hypertension, chronic stress and inadequate prenatal care.

Racial disparities remain among Georgia’s most persistent challenges. From 2021 to 2023, the preterm birth rate for Black infants in Georgia reached 15%, far higher than the state average. American Indian and Alaska Native infants had a rate of 14.6%, while white infants were at 10.3%.

Warren said the gaps are driven by social and economic conditions rather than biological factors.

March of Dimes estimates that 14,907 babies in Georgia were born preterm in 2024. Between 2020 and 2023, 94 Georgia counties recorded preterm birth rates higher than the statewide average.

State lawmakers have expanded Medicaid postpartum coverage and invested in maternal home-visiting programs, but advocates say more work is needed to improve access to care and reduce risks before pregnancy begins.

“Behind every data point is a family,” said Tamara Mason, maternal and child health director for March of Dimes Georgia. She said the organization is working to expand research, mobile health centers and policy advocacy aimed at strengthening care for families across the state.