STATE VITALS: GEORGIA

Georgia ranks 6th among states in preterm births (13.2% of all births) and in low birthweight deliveries (9.4% of all births), and ranks 7th highest in the percentage of births to unmarried mothers (45.4% of all births).

The state also has the 7th highest mortality rate from kidney disease in the U.S. (21.3 deaths per 100,000 population) and the 8th highest mortality rate from stroke (46.3 deaths per 100,000). In addition, Georgia has higher mortality rates from firearms and homicide than the U.S. as a whole.

However, Georgia’s rates were lower from 2010 and 2011 in a number of areas: births to unmarried mothers, cesarean deliveries, preterm births, and low birthweight deliveries. The state also had lower mortality than the national rate for suicide and drug poisoning.