Perinatal mortality in France 2024 over 11 per 1,000 births

Paris – 07.07.2026: In France, mortality in the perinatal period rose again in 2024. According to calculations by the Direction de la recherche, des études, de l’évaluation et des statistiques (DREES), it was more than 11 deaths per 1,000 births nationwide. The analysis published on Tuesday is part of a report on the health of newborns and infants and is based on official birth and health statistics as well as the SNDS mother-child database. Stillbirths and deaths within the first seven days of life are recorded.

Within France there is a clear gradient. In metropolitan France DREES calculated a rate of 10.8 per 1,000 births, while higher values were recorded in the overseas departments and regions. The agency points out that methodological aspects – such as improved recording, different definitions and the ongoing expansion of the data base – can affect comparisons over time. The increase nevertheless fits into a trend that experts have been observing for several years.

The report names social and territorial inequalities as central influencing factors. In poorer municipalities perinatal mortality is clearly above the national average. According to DREES, this is contributed to, among other things, by unequal access to early and continuous prenatal care, differences in the density of maternity and perinatal centers, and social burdens. The agency recommends specifically expanding preventive services in disadvantaged areas, shortening routes to midwife and specialist care, and strengthening coordination between community medicine and hospitals.

Demographic and medical factors also play a role. Mentioned are the increasing average age of pregnant women, a higher prevalence of pre-existing conditions such as obesity and diabetes, and pregnancies with increased risk, for example after assisted reproduction or multiple pregnancies. Additional analyses by Santé publique France and INSEE had recently also pointed to rising perinatal and infant mortality, which supports the interpretation of the new DREES figures.

Experts see the need for action along the entire care chain: from low-threshold counseling and preventive care to structured programs for high-risk pregnancies and local provision of care within perinatal networks. Socially tiered prevention offers, expanded midwifery services, securing maternity wards in sparsely populated regions and better accessibility of specialized centers for high-risk cases are also being discussed. DREES calls for an in-depth causal analysis to quantify medical and social risk factors more precisely and to prioritize targeted measures.