The preterm birth rate in the USA dropped 4% from 2006 to 2008, after nearly thirty years of steady increase, March of Dimes report published today on the 8th Annual Prematurity Awareness Day. In 2008, the preliminary preterm birth rate was 12.3%, down from 12.8% in 2008. Nearly three-quarters of the fall involved babies just a few weeks premature. When measured against the Healthy People 2010 targets, the authors gave the USA a report card grading of “D”. Compared to virtually all other industrialized countries America still has a very high rate of premature births.

Before this recent drop, the rate of premature births in the USA had risen by 30% since 1981.

Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, said:

    “The policy changes and programs to prevent preterm birth that our volunteers and staff have worked so hard to bring about are starting to pay off. The two-year decline we have seen nationwide, though small, are encouraging. We believe this decline is the beginning of a trend, but must be supported by better health care, new research and adoption of intervention programs to lower the risk of preterm birth.”

U.S. Surgeon General, Regina M. Benjamin, said:

    “As a family doctor, I’ve seen the terrible impact of premature birth. It can cause life-long disabilities, and it is the leading cause of deaths in newborns. Our country has one of the highest rates of preterm birth in the world. We have to do better.”

Over 500,000 premature babies are born in America annually, at a cost of $26 billion, says the Institute of Medicine. Premature babies cost ten times more than healthy babies. Babies born before 37 weeks of gestation are associated with a significantly higher risk of serious health problems.

Premature birth is the main cause of newborn death. Preterm babies who do survive frequently have long-term health problems, such as respiratory difficulties, cognitive impairment, and cerebral palsy. Even those born just a few weeks prematurely have considerably higher rates of illness and hospitalization compared to other babies.

March of Dimes explains that during the last few weeks of pregnancy, major organs, including the baby’s brain, become completely developed. Being born with organs that are not fully developed can cause serious health problems.

According to the March of Dimes 2010 Report Card:

  • 17 US states got a “C”
  • 20 states got a “D”
  • 13 states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia got a “Fail”
  • Puerto Rico plus 28 states managed to bring down smoking rates among females of childbearing age
  • The District of Columbia plus 28 states managed to increase the total percentage of women of childbearing age with health insurance
  • Puerto Rico plus 37 states managed to bring down the number of babies born between 34 and 36 weeks

Women can significantly lower their risk of having a premature baby if they don’t smoke, receive early prenatal care, receive progesterone therapy if they have had a premature birth before, avoid having multiple embryos from fertility treatments, and avoid unnecessary cesarean sections and inductions before completing 39 weeks of pregnancy.

It is estimated that there are nearly 13 million premature births worldwide annually, of which over one million die during or around the period of their birth (neonatal period) as a result of prematurity complications.

Source: March of Dimes

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Written by Christian Nordqvist