The March of Dimes just released its 2024 report on maternal and infant health, revealing a serious issue in Georgia: Nearly 12% of babies here are born too soon, or what is known as preterm.
When babies are born before 37 weeks, they often face serious health challenges. Preterm birth increases the risk of breathing problems, developmental delays, and other lifelong health issues.
Georgia’s high rate of early births is just another statistic in a mountain of evidence that the state is failing pregnant women and their health needs.
Why It’s a Problem: Babies born early miss crucial development time in the womb, which can lead to immediate and long-term health problems. Their lungs, brains, and other organs are often underdeveloped, making it harder for them to breathe, eat, and grow.
For families, this means more time in the hospital, higher medical bills, and frequent doctor visits. It can also lead to emotional stress for parents who worry about their child’s future health. For the state, a high rate of preterm births suggests gaps in healthcare access and resources.
Just the Facts
• Early Birth Rate: In Georgia, 11.8% of babies are born preterm, higher than in many other states.
• Lack of Prenatal Care: 17.2% of pregnant women didn’t receive enough prenatal care.
• Maternal Mortality: 32.1 mothers per 100,000 die from pregnancy-related issues, one of the highest rates in the U.S.
• Infant Mortality: In 2022, nearly 900 babies in Georgia didn’t live to see their first birthday.
Why Preterm Birth Happens: Several factors increase the risk of early birth. Conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes, common in Georgia, are linked to preterm births. Other risk factors include stress, lack of prenatal care, and environmental issues such as pollution and extreme heat, which have a greater impact on marginalized communities.
What’s Next for Georgia: The March of Dimes is calling for urgent actions to support moms and babies in Georgia. This includes expanding Medicaid to improve healthcare access during pregnancy and investing in community programs that provide prenatal care and education. The organization also plans to set up mobile health clinics in rural areas to reach mothers who live far from healthcare facilities.
How You Can Help: Supporting healthier pregnancies in Georgia starts with raising awareness. Residents can support the March of Dimes’ efforts by advocating for better prenatal care access and spreading the word about programs that help moms and babies. For more information, visit marchofdimes.org.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
