For the first time in eight years, the rate of infants being born too early has climbed.
In its latest report card on premature births, that step backwards in the health of babies in the U.S. prompted March of Dimes to give the nation a “C” grade amidst widening differences in prematurity rates across different races and ethnicities. The nation as a whole has a preterm birth rate of 9.6 percent in 2014. Missouri and Illinois both earned C grades as well. In Missouri, the preterm birth rate is 10 percent and in Illinois, it is 10.2 percent.
Data from the five counties with the greatest number of births in 2014 received preterm birth scores as well, and the St. Louis area does not make the grade. St. Louis City received an “F” with a 12.5 percent preterm birth rate; St. Louis County received a “D” for a 10.6 percent rate; St. Charles (9.7 percent), Jackson (10.0 percent), and Green (10.0 percent) all received “C” grades. The highest score came from Clay County, which received a “B” grade for a 8.5 percent preterm birth rate.
Within states, serious gaps exist among racial and ethnic groups, as well as between communities, the March of Dimes said.
In Missouri, black women have the highest preterm birth rate.
“In Missouri specifically, black women have a 49percent higher preterm birth rate than the rate among all other women,” Ashley Lindquist, a spokesperson for the March of Dimes Midwest region, said.
To help reduce the number of premature births, the Missouri March of Dimes works to eliminate early elective deliveries that are not medically necessary. It also encourages tobacco use reduction/elimination when women are pregnant. Additionally, women are encouraged to space pregnancies further out – to not get pregnant again for at least 18 months after the birth of the previous child.
“Premature birth is the number one killer of babies and our data is showing that the rates have gotten worse over the last year and our mission is to give all babies a fighting chance,” Lindquist said.
The U.S. preterm birth rate ranks among the worst of high-resource countries, the March of Dimes said. Worldwide, 15 million babies are born preterm, and nearly one million die due to early birth or its complications. Babies who survive an early birth often face serious and lifelong health problems, including breathing problems, jaundice, vision loss, cerebral palsy and intellectual delays.
Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes, said, “No baby should have to battle the health consequences of an early birth. All babies, everywhere, deserve a healthy start in in life.”
The 2015 Premature Birth Report Card provides rates and grades for major cities or counties in each state, and Puerto Rico. It also provides preterm birth rates by race and ethnicity for each state and applies a disparity index that ranks states.
Portland, Oregon has the best preterm birth rate of the top 100 cities with the most births nationwide, while Shreveport, Louisiana has the worst, according to the report. In addition to Portland, Oxnard, California; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Seattle, Washington are the only other cities that earned “As” on the national report card.
Idaho, Oregon, Vermont and Washington earned “As,” 19 states received a “B,” 18 states and the District of Columbia got a “C,” six others a “D,” and Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico received an “F.”
For more information, visit marchofdimes.org/reportcard.
