US Gets a D for Premature Birth

Today is National Prematurity Awareness Day sponsored by the March of Dimes. Today they've released a report card for the United States on prematurity rates where the US is failing miserably. Not s single state earned an A and only one state earned a B, Vermont. Over 530,000 babies are born prematurely every year in this country. But the good news is that the March of Dimes has a plan:

1. They urge the federal government to increase support for prematurity-related research and data collection.
2. They urge federal and state policymakers to expand access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.
3. They call on hospitals and health care professionals to voluntarily assess c-sections and inductions that occur prior to 39 weeks gestation to ensure consistency with professional guidelines.
4. They call on businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health. (Their recommendations.)

While it is important to know the warning signs of preterm labor and to know your risk factors when it comes to premature birth, there is also a growing number of babies being born in what is called later term prematurity. This is where an induction or cesarean is done, thinking that the pregnancy is greater than 37 weeks and it's really not. Even a week can make a big difference when it comes to the length of gestation.

Here is a statement: "The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends that, unless medically indicated, scheduled deliveries should be after 39 weeks. This is because biological variations and uncertainties in estimating the beginning of a pregnancy introduces inaccuracies when assigning the due date. Preterm birth rates can be reduced by performing scheduled deliveries after 39 weeks."

So what can you do? Know the signs of preterm labor. Investigate the causes of premature labor and the risks factors you may have. Sign the Prematurity Petition from the March of Dimes.

Related:

• Signs of Premature Labor
• Causes of Preterm Labor
• Does work put your baby at risk of preterm birth?
• Sign the Prematurity Petition

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