Key Points

A Declining Birth Rate

• Nearly 78,000 live births were recorded in the region in 2024 (compared to about 96,000 in 2012): the decline in the birth rate continues.

Rising Pre-Pregnancy Risk Factors…

• The prevalence of women who are overweight or obese before pregnancy (35.7% in 2021), pre-existing diabetes (0.73% in 2024), and chronic hypertension (1.22% in 2024) are on the rise in the region, as in the rest of France.
• In contrast, the proportion of women who smoke during the third trimester of pregnancy is declining: it stood at just 12.8% in 2021 (vs. 14.8% in 2010).

… leading to an increase in pregnancy-related conditions

• Linked to this poorer health status among women in the preconception period and to later pregnancies (one-quarter of women aged 35 or older in 2024), pregnancy-related conditions are on the rise in the region: gestational diabetes has doubled, reaching 14.0% in 2024 (vs. 6.9% in 2012) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy have increased slightly (4.4% in 2024 vs. 4.0% in 2019).

Prematurity on the Decline

• Despite the increase in several risk factors for preterm birth (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, advanced maternal age), the preterm birth rate has declined to 6.1% in the region in 2024 (vs. 7.3% in 2012).

Neonatal mortality: a worrying trend

• Although an upward trend in infant mortality (deaths between 0 and 364 days) has been observed in France, this indicator remains generally stable and is lower in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, at 3.42 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024. In contrast, late neonatal mortality (7–27 days) has risen sharply in the region, reaching 0.94‰ in 2024 (vs. 0.63‰ in 2012).

Prevention and Prenatal/Postnatal Care: Room for Improvement

• In 2021, only 27.6% of women took folic acid before pregnancy (recommended to prevent neural tube defects), and 14.0% received counseling on preventing cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Early prenatal care (67.9% in 2024) and early postnatal care (31.6% in 2024) are at higher levels in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes compared to the national average but are struggling to achieve universal coverage.

Mothers’ mental health: a major challenge

• One of the goals of early postnatal care is to identify the first signs of mental health issues. In 2021, 17.4% of women who gave birth in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes suffered from postpartum depression, and an even higher proportion suffered from anxiety (28.3%). Nationally, suicide has become the leading cause of maternal mortality. Maternal mental health is a major challenge in terms of early detection, care, and prevention.

A Mixed Picture Across the Region

• Finally, while perinatal health in the region is generally better than in France as a whole, this masks disparities—sometimes significant—between different areas. Indicators of maternal vulnerability and morbidity are worse in Puy-de-Dôme and Rhône, while indicators of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality are worse in Allier and Cantal.