2025 Study Reveals Higher Preterm Birth Rates and Birth Injury Risks in Southern U.S. States

Thousands of families across the United States are affected due to preterm birth rates and birth injury risks annually.

However, according to the report of 2025 South’s Birth Injury Report states that states in the Southern part are more prone to experience high rates of deliveries before time which significantly contributes to birth injuries.

The report published by John Foy & Associates, birth injuries occur in seven out of every 1,000 infants. This data indicates that out of the 3,591,328 live births which were reported in 2023, an estimated 25,139 newborns experienced birth injuries, according to CDC data.

Most Birth Injuries are highly dependent and influenced by pre term births which means that births occur before the complete tenure or before 37 weeks of the period. The March of Dimes estimates that 373,902 babies, or 10.4% of all live births in the United States in 2023, were preterm.

Racial and Regional Disparities in Birth Injury

While national statistics on birth injuries are already concerning, the issue is notably more severe across many Southern states. Research indicates that Black and American Indian women are significantly more likely to have preterm births compared to other racial and ethnic demographics.

Preterm Birth Rates by Ethnicity

To illustrate, March of Dimes data outlines the following national averages for preterm births by ethnicity:

• Black: 14.7%
• American Indian: 12.4%
• Hispanic: 10.1%
• White: 9.5%
• Asian: 9.4%

Main Causes for High Preterm Birth Rates in the Southern U.S.

Major reasons for high preterm birth rates in the South are:

• Limited quality prenatal care access
• Increased air pollution
• Vulnerable heat exposure
• Extensive chronic maternal health states such as hypertensions and diabetes.
• Inequal socioeconomic factors
• Legislative restrictions on abortion services

Expert Insight and Call for Equal Healthcare

A spokesman from John Foy & Associates stated, “Equal access to healthcare is desperately needed,” This need is particularly important because preterm birth rates in the Southern United States are higher than the national average due to factors like inadequate prenatal care, long-term maternal health problems, and environmental stressors.

Types of Severe Birth Injuries Linked to Preterm Birth

A higher risk of various severe birth injuries is linked to premature births, including:

• Cerebral Palsy: A disease which adversely affects the control on muscles due to brain damage, which leads to challenges with movement, posture and coordination.
• Erb’s Palsy: A state marked by weakness or a state of paralysis in the arm and shoulder caused by nerve damage during the time of delivery.
• Cephalohematoma: A state where blood arises between the scalp and skull, mainly due to trauma or excessive pressure during delivery.
• Intracranial Hemorrhaging: Bleeding around or within the brain, which occurs often due to ruptured blood vessels, with potentially life-threatening consequences.
• Asphyxia: a severe oxygen shortage in a newborn’s blood, which could lead to long-term disability or compromised organ function.

The Way Forward

The birth injury attorneys launched a recent report in 2025 where it furthur shed light on the issues, strengthening the fact that preterm birth rates in Southern states exceed national levels. The findings reflect evident sociodemographic differences that unequally affect American Indian and Black communities. In order to improve prenatal care and lower avoidable birth injuries, these gaps must be filled.