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Prematurity Hits Record High
Carolyn Davis Cockey, MLS
Prematurity Hits Record High More Babies Born at Risk for Lifetime Disabilities
t Premature birth is now the most common, serious and costly infant health problem facing our nation
104
AWHONN Lifelines
The number of babies born prematurely (prior to 37 weeks gestation) reached a record high of 480,812 in 2002, according to a new government report. Nationwide, the rate of premature births jumped 13 percent between 1992 and 2002, with seven states showing increases of 30 percent or more. “This is alarming news,” says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “Premature birth is now the most common, serious and costly infant health problem facing our nation. Last year annual hospitalization of these infants cost $13.6 billion. As a nation we must address this growing crisis in infant health and make it a priority.” Dr. Howse noted that the March of Dimes is beginning the second year of a five-year, $75 million campaign to address the growing rate
of premature birth. The campaign works to educate women on the signs and symptoms of premature birth, and to support more research into the causes. One of the goals of the campaign is to reduce the rate of premature birth by 15 percent by 2007. Amanda Reeves, now age 5, of Greenville, SC, was born 14 weeks early, weighing just 1 pound, 7 ounces. She was so tiny that her dad,
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Bill, could slip his wedding ring over her hand to her shoulder. Today, her mom, Michele, wears that ring as a constant reminder of the struggle that Amanda and other premature babies face just to survive. Amanda spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before going home. “Though our story has a happy ending, there are still uncertainties about Amanda’s future,” says Michele Reeves. “Babies born prematurely often suffer terrible lifelong consequences.” Amanda was recently named the 2004 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes. This year, Amanda will travel with her parents throughout the nation to raise public awareness of the need for Americans to come together to fight the rising tide of premature births.
Other data from the new report from the National Center for Health Statistics: • The premature birth rate in 2002 rose to 12.1 percent of live births, up from 11.9 percent in 2001 • African American infants were nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic white infants to be born prematurely in 2002— rates for both these groups increased from 2001 • Infants born low-birth-weight (less than 5.5 pounds) increased slightly from 7.7 percent of live births in 2001 to 7.8 percent in 2002 (continued on p. 107)
Table 1.
Rates of Pre-term Birth by State, 1992 and 2002
Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds
Percent of Percent live births Change 1992 2002 U.S. 10.7 12.1 13 Alabama 13.2 15.8 20 Alaska 9.3 9.8 5 Arizona 10.6 12.6 19 Arkansas 12.2 12.7 4 California 9.7 10.2 5 Colorado 10.3 12.0 17 Connecticut 9.1 10.1 11 Delaware 10.8 13.6 26 District of Columbia 18.7 14.6 (22) Florida 11.5 13.0 13 Georgia 12.5 12.6 1 Hawaii 10.3 13.7 33 Idaho 8.6 10.4 21 Illinois 11.8 12.6 7 Indiana 10.2 12.5 23 Iowa 9.2 11.6 26 Kansas 9.6 11.0 15 Kentucky 10.6 13.6 28 Louisiana 14.3 15.1 6 Maine 7.5 10.1 35 Maryland 11.5 12.9 12 Massachusetts 7.7 10.6 38 Michigan 10.8 11.9 10 Minnesota 8.5 9.8 15 Mississippi 15.4 17.2 12 Missouri 11.2 13.0 16 Montana 8.7 11.3 30 Nebraska 8.8 11.8 34 Nevada 11.6 13.0 12 New Hampshire 7.3 9.5 30
April | May 2004
programs of research, community services,
New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
10.8 10.6 10.6 12.5 9.0 10.7 10.0 8.2 10.3 9.6 12.8 9.0 12.6 11.0 8.5 8.0 11.4 8.3 10.3 9.2 9.9
12.0 12.6 11.4 13.3 11.3 12.2 12.6 9.7 11.4 11.3 14.2 11.3 13.8 13.3 10.5 9.0 11.8 9.6 13.4 10.9 11.7
11 19 8 6 26 14 26 18 11 18 11 26 10 21 24 13 4 16 30 18 18
education and advocacy to save babies, and in 2003 launched a five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth
Notes: Pre-term is less than 37 completed weeks of gestation. Percent change is calculated based on one decimal and has been rounded to the nearest whole number. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2002 final natality data; prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2003.
AWHONN Lifelines
105
Prematurity Hits Record High More Babies Born at Risk for Lifetime Disabilities
t Premature birth is now the most common, serious and costly infant health problem facing our nation
104
AWHONN Lifelines
The number of babies born prematurely (prior to 37 weeks gestation) reached a record high of 480,812 in 2002, according to a new government report. Nationwide, the rate of premature births jumped 13 percent between 1992 and 2002, with seven states showing increases of 30 percent or more. “This is alarming news,” says Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “Premature birth is now the most common, serious and costly infant health problem facing our nation. Last year annual hospitalization of these infants cost $13.6 billion. As a nation we must address this growing crisis in infant health and make it a priority.” Dr. Howse noted that the March of Dimes is beginning the second year of a five-year, $75 million campaign to address the growing rate
of premature birth. The campaign works to educate women on the signs and symptoms of premature birth, and to support more research into the causes. One of the goals of the campaign is to reduce the rate of premature birth by 15 percent by 2007. Amanda Reeves, now age 5, of Greenville, SC, was born 14 weeks early, weighing just 1 pound, 7 ounces. She was so tiny that her dad,
Volume 8
Issue 2
Bill, could slip his wedding ring over her hand to her shoulder. Today, her mom, Michele, wears that ring as a constant reminder of the struggle that Amanda and other premature babies face just to survive. Amanda spent three months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before going home. “Though our story has a happy ending, there are still uncertainties about Amanda’s future,” says Michele Reeves. “Babies born prematurely often suffer terrible lifelong consequences.” Amanda was recently named the 2004 National Ambassador for the March of Dimes. This year, Amanda will travel with her parents throughout the nation to raise public awareness of the need for Americans to come together to fight the rising tide of premature births.
Other data from the new report from the National Center for Health Statistics: • The premature birth rate in 2002 rose to 12.1 percent of live births, up from 11.9 percent in 2001 • African American infants were nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic white infants to be born prematurely in 2002— rates for both these groups increased from 2001 • Infants born low-birth-weight (less than 5.5 pounds) increased slightly from 7.7 percent of live births in 2001 to 7.8 percent in 2002 (continued on p. 107)
Table 1.
Rates of Pre-term Birth by State, 1992 and 2002
Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds
Percent of Percent live births Change 1992 2002 U.S. 10.7 12.1 13 Alabama 13.2 15.8 20 Alaska 9.3 9.8 5 Arizona 10.6 12.6 19 Arkansas 12.2 12.7 4 California 9.7 10.2 5 Colorado 10.3 12.0 17 Connecticut 9.1 10.1 11 Delaware 10.8 13.6 26 District of Columbia 18.7 14.6 (22) Florida 11.5 13.0 13 Georgia 12.5 12.6 1 Hawaii 10.3 13.7 33 Idaho 8.6 10.4 21 Illinois 11.8 12.6 7 Indiana 10.2 12.5 23 Iowa 9.2 11.6 26 Kansas 9.6 11.0 15 Kentucky 10.6 13.6 28 Louisiana 14.3 15.1 6 Maine 7.5 10.1 35 Maryland 11.5 12.9 12 Massachusetts 7.7 10.6 38 Michigan 10.8 11.9 10 Minnesota 8.5 9.8 15 Mississippi 15.4 17.2 12 Missouri 11.2 13.0 16 Montana 8.7 11.3 30 Nebraska 8.8 11.8 34 Nevada 11.6 13.0 12 New Hampshire 7.3 9.5 30
April | May 2004
programs of research, community services,
New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
10.8 10.6 10.6 12.5 9.0 10.7 10.0 8.2 10.3 9.6 12.8 9.0 12.6 11.0 8.5 8.0 11.4 8.3 10.3 9.2 9.9
12.0 12.6 11.4 13.3 11.3 12.2 12.6 9.7 11.4 11.3 14.2 11.3 13.8 13.3 10.5 9.0 11.8 9.6 13.4 10.9 11.7
11 19 8 6 26 14 26 18 11 18 11 26 10 21 24 13 4 16 30 18 18
education and advocacy to save babies, and in 2003 launched a five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth
Notes: Pre-term is less than 37 completed weeks of gestation. Percent change is calculated based on one decimal and has been rounded to the nearest whole number. Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2002 final natality data; prepared by March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2003.
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