How to Read the 2025 March of Dimes Report Card

How to Read the 2025 March of Dimes Report Card

Understanding the Data, the Impact, and What It Means for Families and Advocates

Each year, March of Dimes releases its Report Card on maternal and infant health. This year’s update shows that nearly 380,000 babies were born preterm, keeping the national preterm birth rate at 10.4% and the United States at a D+ for the fourth year in a row. Preterm birth remains one of the major contributors to infant death in this country, reinforcing how serious and preventable many of these outcomes are.

If you care about maternal health, infant health, advocacy, community impact, or public policy, learning how to interpret the Report Card is essential. These numbers are not meant to sit on a website; they are meant to guide conversations, inspire solutions, and help us understand where and why families are struggling.

This breakdown explains the Report Card in a clear, accessible way, giving you the tools to understand and talk about the data with confidence.

How the Grade Is Determined

We got a D+ so what does that actually mean?
It means the systems that support healthy pregnancies and births are not meeting national standards. A D+ reflects consistently high preterm birth rates, wide disparities, gaps in prenatal and postpartum care, and policies that are not keeping pace with what families need. In short, too many mothers and babies are experiencing preventable risks, and progress has stalled.

The grade is based on several indicators that together show how well states support pregnant and postpartum families. These include:

  • The preterm birth rate (the primary factor)

  • Racial and ethnic disparities

  • Access to early and adequate prenatal care

  • Maternal and infant outcomes

  • Adoption of state maternal-health policies

  • Availability of maternity care, including maternity-care deserts

When these systems weaken or fail to improve, the national grade stays low.

Preterm Birth: What 10.4% Really Means

A preterm birth rate of 10.4% may look small on a screen, but translated into real life:

  • One in every ten babies in the U.S. is born early

  • In a group of 30 pregnant women, about three will deliver prematurely

  • In a hospital with 3,000 births, over 300 babies will arrive before 37 weeks

  • Nationwide, that is more than 370,000 families facing preterm birth each year

Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death and is associated with breathing challenges, feeding issues, neurological complications, and developmental delays that can follow a child well beyond infancy.

Let’s break this down. Behind every number are real families... their lives, their health, their finances, and their futures.

The Financial Reality of Preterm Birth

NICU costs vary based on the level of medical support a baby needs. On average:

  • Level II care (moderate support): $3,000–$5,000 per day

  • Level III care (advanced monitoring or respiratory support): $5,000–$10,000 per day

  • Level IV care (the highest intensive care level): often above $10,000 per day and sometimes $20,000

Because NICU stays can last days, weeks, or months, it is common for families to face six-figure bills, even with insurance. Combine this with missed work, travel, childcare for siblings, and emotional stress, and the impact becomes overwhelming.

Long-Term Effects of Preterm Birth

The challenges of preterm birth do not end once a baby leaves the NICU. Many children born early face a higher risk of long-term complications, including chronic lung issues, developmental delays, learning differences, feeding and growth difficulties, hearing or vision concerns, and a greater need for early-intervention services. Not every preterm infant will experience these challenges, but the risk is significantly higher, making prevention critical to lifelong health.

Disparities: Who Faces the Highest Risks

Outcome differences are not evenly distributed. Black mothers and babies continue to face the highest preterm birth rates at around 14.7%, or one-and-a-half times the national average. These disparities persist even when controlling for income and education, pointing to:

  • Unequal access to quality care

  • Chronic and toxic stress

  • Systemic racism and bias in healthcare

  • Gaps in resources and continuity of care

Insurance matters too. Medicaid-covered births have a higher preterm birth rate than privately insured births, reflecting differences in access, coverage, and resources.

Understanding these disparities is crucial to interpreting the Report Card accurately and equitably.

Southern States and the “F” Grades

Only one stated received an A, just one. Half of U.S. states received a D or F, and many of the F grades are concentrated in the South, including:

  • Mississippi

  • Louisiana

  • Alabama

  • Arkansas

  • Georgia

  • Texas

These states often face:

  • Higher preterm birth rates

  • More maternity-care deserts

  • Limited maternal-health policy protections

  • Larger racial disparities

  • Higher rates of chronic conditions among people of reproductive age

This regional pattern shows how geography, access, and policy directly shape maternal and infant health outcomes.

Prenatal & Postpartum Care: A Growing Concern

Early prenatal care remains one of the strongest protective factors in pregnancy, yet fewer families are receiving first-trimester care. Late or inconsistent prenatal care increases the risk of missing early signs of complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, fetal growth issues, and mental-health concerns.

Postpartum care is equally urgent. Many severe and life-threatening maternal complications occur after delivery. In states without extended postpartum Medicaid coverage or robust postpartum support systems, families face unnecessary risk.

Healthy People 2030: The Federal Benchmark

Healthy People 2030 sets a national goal to reduce preterm birth to 9.4%.

Most states are far from reaching it.

Only about 11 states meet or exceed this target, and the national rate remains more than a full percentage point above the goal, translating to tens of thousands of additional preterm births every year.

States that have invested in postpartum Medicaid extension, paid family leave, mental-health supports, and doula reimbursement tend to move closer to the benchmark. States without these protections remain stagnant.

The Human Impact Behind the Data

Each statistic on the Report Card reflects lived experiences:

  • Babies requiring days, weeks, or months of NICU support

  • Mothers recovering from complex or traumatic births

  • Families navigating medical bills, lost income, and uncertainty

  • Children facing long-term complications tied to early birth

  • Parents experiencing grief that numbers can never capture

This is what a D+ truly represents.

How to Talk About the Report Card (Advocacy Guide)

Here is a simple, effective way to explain the data in conversations or legislative meetings:

Lead with the core number:
“The national preterm birth rate is 10.4%, which means one in ten babies is born early.”

Add relatable context:
“That is more than 370,000 preterm births every year.”

Highlight disparities:
“Black families experience a 14.7% preterm birth rate. Medicaid-covered births also carry higher risk.”

Mention geographic differences:
“Many of the lowest grades are in the South, where policy supports and access are more limited.”

Connect to solutions:
“States with postpartum Medicaid extension, doula support, mental-health screening, and paid leave show better outcomes.”

Bring it back to families:
“These numbers are not abstract. They represent real lives and real challenges.”

This is how you turn data into informed, effective advocacy.

What You Can Do Next

Once you understand the national picture, it is equally important to look at what is happening where you live. Every state has its own strengths, gaps, and needs. Reviewing your state’s Report Card can show you exactly where your community stands, and for many people, that is the moment advocacy begins.

Access it now : March of Dimes Report Card | March of Dimes

If this breakdown helped you understand the Report Card more clearly, you can stay updated by following our advocacy page On Call for Change on Facebook. This is a space for maternal health professionals and anyone who supports mothers, babies, and families, looking to stayed connected, educated, and up to date on maternal health advocacy.

Follow Here: On Call for Change | Facebook

Understanding the data is the first step. Using it well is how change starts. For maternal health advocacy apparel shop our collection and support the fight for better maternal health outcomes.

Shop the Official Maternal Health Advocacy Apparel Line: motherhoodismedical.com 

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