On Nov. 14, 2024, the March of Dimes released its 2024 Report Card, revealing the U.S. preterm birth rate remained historically high at 10.4% with significant disparities among racial and ethnic groups.

The 2024 Report Card revealed over 370,000 babies were born preterm in 2023, with one-third of the largest U.S. cities receiving an F grade for preterm birth rates. Twenty-four states experienced worsening rates, many in the southeastern U.S., with Black birthing people facing preterm birth rates 1.4 times higher than their peers.

New in this year’s report, March of Dimes examined environmental factors impacting maternal and infant health outcomes. Research showed pregnant people exposed to extreme heat and air pollution are more likely to give birth preterm, have underweight or stillborn babies, and suffer from preeclampsia. Nearly 40% of birthing people are at risk of exposure to extreme heat at some point in their pregnancy, while almost three in four birthing people are at risk of exposure to poor air quality.