The top 10: <p>
B - Vermont<p>
For the second year in a row, Vermont earned the only B.<p>
The state had a 9.2% preterm birth rate. This was up from the 9.0% recorded on the 2008 report card.
<p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- The top 10: <p> B - Vermont<p> For the second year in a row, Vermont earned the only B.<p> The state had a 9.2% preterm birth rate. This was up from the 9.0% recorded on the 2008 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - New Hampshire<p> New Hampshire made good progress, coming down to a preterm birth rate of 9.4% after recording 10.5% the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Oregon<p> Oregon had a preterm birth rate of 10.3%, which was up slightly from 10.2% shown on the 2008 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Alaska<p> Alaska had a preterm birth rate of 10.4%. This is down from 10.6% the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Minnesota <p> Minnesota went from 10.7% on the 2008 report card to 10.4% on the 2009 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Connecticut<p> Connecticut went up slightly, going from a 10.4% to a 10.5% preterm birth rate. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Idaho<p> Idaho brought its grade up a full letter, going from a D to a C over the course of one year. The state's new preterm birth rate is 10.5%, which is down from 11.4%. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Maine<p> Maine had a preterm birth rate of 10.6%. This is down from 10.7%. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - Washington<p> Washington stayed the same, showing 10.6% on both the 2008 and 2009 report cards. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- C - California<p> California went up to 10.9% after showing a 10.7% on the 2008 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- The bottom ten:<p> F - Puerto Rico<p> While the US territory claimed the lowest spot, some progress has been made. Puerto Rico had a preterm birth rate of 19.4%, which is down from its 19.7% the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Mississippi<p> Mississippi had the worst grade of the contiguous United States, showing a preterm birth rate of 18.3%. The good news is the rate is down from the 18.8% recorded the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Alabama<p> Alabama had a preterm birth rate of 16.6%. This is slightly lower than the 16.7% from the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Louisiana<p> Louisiana stayed the same, with a preterm birth rate of 16.5% showing on both the 2008 and 2009 report cards. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - District of Columbia<p> The nation's capital had a preterm birth rate of 15.6%. This is down from its 15.9% the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - South Carolina<p> South Carolina had a preterm birth rate of 15.5%. This is slightly lower than the 15.6% from the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Kentucky<p> Kentucky had a 15.2% preterm birth rate, which was the same as the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Nevada<p> Nevada made strides in the wrong direction, going up to a preterm birth rate of 14.3% after recording 13.9% the previous year. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Delaware<p> Delaware tried to match Nevada by going up to 14.3% after a 14.0% on the 2008 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
- F - Tennessee<p> Tennessee took a step in the right direction, going down to 14.2% from its 14.7% on the 2008 report card. <p>(picture: US locator map, Wikimedia Commons)
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