Imagine preparing to welcome home a new baby, only for your child to be born too sick and too soon. The worry, sadness, and fear that impacts families facing a preterm birth can be devastating and is sadly the reality for 14,960 families in Georgia.
In Georgia, 11.9% of babies were born before 37 weeks in 2022, up from 10.9% a decade ago. The March of Dimes’ 2023 Report Card is a clear reminder that the state of maternal and infant health in the U.S. and Georgia is in crisis. Released during Prematurity Awareness Month in November, the Report Card features key indicators across infant and maternal health, offering a full picture of the challenges we face today. The results are clear: As a nation we’re not doing enough to prioritize the well-being of moms and babies, and in Georgia there’s especially more work to be done.
Preterm birth is a leading cause of infant mortality in the U.S., and globally, and this year’s report reveals that preterm birth nationwide stands at 10.4%, marking a meager improvement from the historic high of 10.5%, but not nearly enough to elevate the nation’s D+ grade, which we’ve held for a second consecutive year. In Georgia, 1 in 8 babies are born too soon, bringing our rank to an “F” – worse than the nation. Some factors contributing to preterm birth in Georgia include smoking, hypertension and diabetes.
Credit: contributed
Credit: contributed
The data looks beyond preterm birth to shed light on infant and maternal mortality rates and reveal inequities in our systems, policies and environments that impact Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) populations, who continue to carry a higher burden of these outcomes nationally. In Georgia, the preterm birth rate among babies born to Black birthing people is 1.5 times higher than the rate among all other babies. Also in Georgia, the infant mortality rate among babies born to Black birthing people is 1.5 times the state rate. According to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s latest Maternal Mortality report, there have been upwards of 30.2 pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births. Black women were 2 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
Early data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a 3% spike in infant mortality last year, the largest increase in more than 20 years. There has also been a drastic increase in maternal mortality rates, nearly doubling from 17.4 to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births. For both infant and maternal mortality, the rates are even more startling in communities of color.
The factors that influence outcomes for moms and babies are addressable, and many of them can be prevented through expanded access to care, managing chronic conditions, policy change, increased research and more.
The time to act is now. Many of the factors that contribute to outcomes for moms and babies are central to overall health and impact all of us. It’s up to us in Georgia to make a difference and ensure the best possible start for all families.
March of Dimes is leading the charge by advocating for policies like postpartum Medicaid extension for 1 year, which provides pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage for a full year after pregnancy, Medicaid coverage for remote maternal health services, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for childless pregnant women and the reauthorization of the PREEMIE ACT. In 2022, Georgia joined 29 states, including Washington, D.C., in extending Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months.
March of Dimes is also supporting research, innovation and programs nationwide to improve maternal and infant health, including Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers, funding prematurity research centers and the newly launched March of Dimes Health Equity Center.
In Georgia, we’re addressing the crisis through a federally funded Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC), which is essential to understanding and addressing the causes of maternal death, a federally funded Perinatal Quality Collaborative (PQC), whose purpose is to identify and improve quality care issues in maternal and infant healthcare and a newly state-funded home visiting pilot program that will focus on achieving healthy pregnancies in rural communities.
But the change we need won’t happen without everyone getting involved. Whether you’re a concerned citizen, a patient, a policymaker, or a healthcare provider, you can play a vital role in improving maternal and infant health. Visit marchofdimes.org/reportcard to learn more about how you can get involved.
In the end, the health of moms and babies is a collective responsibility, and together, we can make a significant impact on the state of maternal and infant health in Georgia and across the nation.
Dr. José Cordero is a pediatrician, March of Dimes volunteer and head of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health.
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