The rate of premature births in the United States continues to be a cause for concern, particularly in the southern region, according to the infant and maternal health nonprofit, March of Dimes.
In its annual “report card” on maternal and infant health in the US, released on Thursday, March of Dimes highlighted that the country’s preterm birth rate—babies born before 37 weeks gestation—stood at 10.4% in 2022. This represents only a 1% decrease from the 2021 rate, which was the highest in over a decade.
Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, President and CEO of March of Dimes, expressed disappointment, stating, “We went from 10.5% to 10.4%. It’s flat. A slight change is just not big enough in that direction.”
March of Dimes assigned a D+ grade to the United States for its preterm birth rate, which is a leading cause of infant mortality in the country. This marks the second consecutive year that the nation has received this grade.
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics reveals that the national preterm birth rate reached its peak at 12.8% in 2006 after a steady increase over two decades. The rate then decreased to 9.8% in 2012 but climbed back up to 10.4% last year, according to the new report.
Several risk factors can elevate a mother’s likelihood of giving birth prematurely, including smoking, high blood pressure, unhealthy weight, diabetes, previous preterm births, and carrying multiple babies (e.g., twins or triplets).
Dr. Cherot emphasized the need for urgent action, stating, “I look at this as a window into the lens for the health of the country, and we are failing our moms and our babies, and we need to prioritize them. We should have better outcomes, and we don’t. So I think there’s so much work to be done. This is the time to be amplifying this for our country.”
Cities with the highest preterm birth rates included Birmingham, Alabama (14.8%); Detroit (14.5%); Cleveland (14.1%); New Orleans (13.5%); and Memphis (13.3%). Conversely, cities with the lowest rates included Ramapo, New York (5.3%); Irvine, California (7.1%); Seattle (8.1%); San Diego (8.6%); and Long Beach, California (8.8%).
At the state level, eight states and Puerto Rico received an F grade for preterm birth rates in the new report: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Notably, no states earned an A grade.