Overview
- The report estimates nearly 380,000 babies were born preterm in 2024, marking a fourth straight year at a D+ for the nation.
- Disparities remain steep: the preterm birth rate is 14.7% for babies born to Black mothers and 11.7% for Medicaid-covered births, versus 9.6% for privately insured.
- Outcomes vary widely by location, with 19 states improving and 21 plus D.C. worsening; Mississippi posted the highest rate at 15.0% and D.C. rose to 11.8% with the largest year-over-year increase, while New Hampshire was the only A state.
- Related indicators show maternal mortality has returned to pre-pandemic levels but remains high at 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births, and infant mortality held at about 5.6 per 1,000.
- March of Dimes is pressing for federal action including the Preventing Maternal Deaths Act, PREEMIE Act reauthorization, and broader Medicaid postpartum coverage, and it has endorsed broader use of low‑dose aspirin in pregnancy to reduce preeclampsia risk.