The report shows 5,017 babies were born preterm in Mississippi in 2024. That’s 15% of all births in the state, the same as the prior year. However, the rate was 12.9% in 2014, so the long-term trend is worsening,
Mississippi also continues to have the highest infant mortality rate in the country. In 2023, 308 Mississippi babies died before their first birthday, a rate of 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births compared with 5.6 nationally. Deep rooted racial disparities also persist, as Black infants face consistently higher mortality risk than White or Hispanic infants.
According to Ashley Stoneburner, director of applied research for the March of Dimes, those outcomes stem largely from structural barriers, not individual choices.
“It's not the fault of the women in Mississippi why we see rates of preterm birth and other poor outcomes so high. It's the system that we built for these women,” Stoneburner said.
The report identifies several factors driving Mississippi’s poor rankings. The state has high rates of chronic health conditions that increase the risk of early delivery, including hypertension and diabetes before and during pregnancy.
Access to consistent medical care is also a major challenge, often preventing women carrying high-risk pregnancies from getting the level of care they need.
“Almost half of Mississippi counties are maternity-care deserts, and those are counties where there is no hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and no obstetric providers,” Stoneburner said.
The report also evaluates state policy environments tied to maternal and infant health. Mississippi has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months and maintains a maternal mortality review committee. However, it has not expanded Medicaid and does not reimburse doula care, two policies that March of Dimes says improve maternal outcomes in other states.
March of Dimes officials say moving Mississippi out of failing territory will require expanding access to prenatal care, addressing chronic health conditions earlier and adopting policies that reduce racial and economic barriers.
