| The United States is failing hundreds of thousands of its youngest citizens on the day they are born, according to the March of Dimes. Alabama faces a crisis level of premature births that is driving up health care costs and special education budgets; preventive action is needed starting now. The March of Dimes called for immediate action at a press conference at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12 at the Jefferson County Health Department in Birmingham.
In the first of what will be an annual Premature Birth Report Card, the nation received a “D” and not a single state earned an “A,” when the March of Dimes compared actual preterm birth rates to the national Healthy People 2010 objective. The grade of F indicates how far Alabama, with a preterm birth rate of 16.7, is from the Healthy People 2010 objective of 7.6 percent of all live births. Latest available data (2005) show that the national preterm birth rate is 12.7 percent. The only state to earn a “B” was Vermont. Eight states earned a “C,” 23 states earned a “D,” and 18 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia got failing grades of “F.”
“It is unacceptable that our nation is failing so many preterm babies,” said Jennifer L. Howse, PhD, president of the March of Dimes. “We are determined to find and implement solutions to prevent preterm birth, based on research, best clinical practices, and improved education for moms.”
In addition to providing state rankings, the March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card analyzes contributing factors and prevention opportunities, including rates of late preterm birth, smoking, and uninsured women of child-bearing age. In Alabama, the rate of late preterm births is 11.5%; the rate of women smoking is 23.2%, and the rate of uninsured women is 19.7%.
“The Report Card illustrates the importance of ensuring every pregnant woman in Alabama has access to health coverage, and it further stresses the value of smoking prevention and cessation,” said Gayle Whatley, RNP, MSN March of Dimes Program Services Chair. “These issues will continue to be March of Dimes advocacy priorities.”
The Report Card also calls for :
-Expanded federal support for prematurity-related research to uncover the causes of premature birth and lead not only to strategies for prevention, but also improved care and outcomes for preterm infants.
-Hospital leaders to voluntarily review all Cesarean-section births and inductions of labor that occur before 39 weeks gestation, in an effort to reverse America’s rising preterm birth rate. The review should ensure that all c-sections and inductions meet established professional guidelines.
-Policymakers to improve access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.
-Businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health, such as providing private areas to pump breast milk, access to flextime, and information about how to have a healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
Please visit our website at www.marchofdimes.com/
padpetition for more information.
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