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A premature baby in an incubator
(Photo: Thomas Hartwell / Wikimedia Commons)
For the second year in a row, the United States earned a “D” on the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. The score is based off of the preliminary data for 2007, which shows the US had more than 543,000 babies born prematurely. This accounts for 12.7% of all live births for the country. The national goal for preterm birth is no more than 7.6%.
Premature birth is the leading cause of death in newborn babies, with more than one million dying worldwide each year. The babies who do survive are often faced with long-term health problems, such as breathing difficulties, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation.
Premature Birth Report Card: Setting the grade
“Although we don’t yet understand all the factors that contribute to premature birth, we do know some interventions that can help prevent it, and we must consistently make use of all of these,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, President of the March of Dimes.
Included in the list of these interventions are:
Smoking cessation programs
Health care before and during pregnancy
Adherence to professional guidelines on fertility treatment, early Cesarean-sections and inductions
The report card follows the CDC in grading all births earlier than 37 weeks as premature. The National Vital Statistics report breaks down the national 12.7 percent premature birth rate as follows:
Late preterm (34-36 weeks) - 9.06%
32-33 weeks - 1.59%
Less than 32 weeks - 2.04%
The high percentage of late preterm births is partially attributed to the rise in doctors inducing labor at the mother’s request. Many people feel there is no harm in a baby coming a few weeks early, but studies show a baby born between 34-36 weeks, instead of after 37 weeks, are more likely to have breathing problems, a harder time feeding, temperature instability, and jaundice.
Premature Birth Report Card: Grading Indiana
Indiana earned a “D” on the 2009 March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card. This was due to the state having a preterm birth rate of 12.9% for 2007. While this number is not good, it is better than the previous year. In 2006, Indiana had a preterm birth rate of 13.2%, which translates to 11,734 babies born too early.
The report card scores three contributing factors to the preterm birth rates. Indiana improved in two of these areas, and slipped in one:
Uninsured women - 17.2%, down from 17.9%
Late preterm birth - 9.3%, down from 9.6%
Women smoking - 29%, up from 26.8%
Comments
This is vital info and we need to do more to protect premature babies in Indiana and across the nation. Tweeting this one, spreading the word!
What a sad article, definitely need to spread the word on this one!
I have long believed that many "C" births are done for the convenience of the mother or Dr. That is just wrong. The March of Dimes reports this, yet funds abortions....sad.
That shouldn't happen in a rich country like the United States..it's sad. Great report and slideshow Amanda!
It is kind of shocking that these rates are so high in the US. What a shame.
How sad and quite amazing, too.
Don't get me started on the elective inductions and c-sections! It's a shame that the medical establishment is ok with, and even encouraging the practice. The OBs that agree to induce just because the mother is tired of being pregnant, or need to give birth by a certain date for convenience reasons need to lose their licenses.
Couldn't have said it better than J. Corn!
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