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Did you know?
One in eight babies is born before he is ready, putting him at risk for health problems.
Access to health coverage
- We advocate for access to health care coverage.
- One in five women of childbearing age is uninsured.
- More than 8 million children under age 19 are uninsured.
Data Book for Policy Makers: Maternal and Child Health in the United States
On an average day in the United States . . .
- 11,317 babies are born
- 1,376 babies are born preterm (less than 37 completed weeks gestation)
- 923 babies are born low birthweight (less than 2,500 grams, or 5 1/2 pounds)
- 329 babies are born with a birth defect*
- 222 babies are born very preterm (less than 32 completed weeks gestation)
- 164 babies are born very low birthweight (less than 1,500 grams, or 3 1/3 pounds)
- 77 babies die before reaching their first birthday
The March of Dimes Data Book for Policy Makers: Maternal, Infant, and Child Health in the United States 2012 provides, in an easy-to-use resource guide, national and state data highlighting infant mortality, birth defects, preterm and low birthweight births, health insurance coverage for women and children, and prevention strategies. The Data Book is aimed at public policy makers and others seeking quick facts.
Individual chapters of the Data Book are also available for download: Introduction, Infant and Maternal Mortality, Birth Defects, Preterm and Low Birthweight Births, Health Promotion, Access, State Data, Newborn Screening Terms and Data Sources.
For more detail, and regular updates of many of the data presented in this book, visit PeriStats, the March of Dimes interactive data resource.
Source: National Center for Health Statistics, 2009 Final Natality Data and 2008 Period Linked Birth/Infant Death Data. Prepared by the March of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2012.
*Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate of at least 120,000 babies born annually with major structural birth defects. Note: Numbers are approximations.
See Also: March of Dimes Data Book for Policy Makers (PDF, 10.6MB)
